A false killer whale stranded at Uretiti Beach was shot because high seas made rescue attempts too dangerous.
Whangarei Department of Conservation (DOC) officer Richard Parrish said the male whale, which he estimated to weigh two to three tonnes, washed up on the beach because it was either "really sick or very old".
Beach-goers near the Waipu River mouth rang DOC about 8pm on Tuesday after covering the distressed mammal with sheets and dousing it with water.
Mr Parrish and another DOC colleague arrived at the beach, which had three to four metre swells, about 9.30pm.
The whale had been breathing at a fast and erratic rate, indicating it was stressed.
"Rescuing it was going to be extremely hazardous to staff so we put it down with a single shot to its spine. It died instantly," Mr Parrish said.
The mammal has a dorsal fin which makes it look like a killer whale, or orca, hence its name.
Yesterday afternoon it was still on the beach, anchored by its tail to prevent it being swept away.
This is the third whale stranding in Northland in a week.
Two beaked whales stranded themselves at Mimiwhangata last Thursday, and a sperm whale washed up on the west coast, about 2km north of Baylys Beach, on Friday.
Mr Parrish said it was not uncommon for whales to strand themselves at this time of year as they were migrating.
Ownership of the false killer whale has been handed to local iwi, Ngati Wai. Mr Parrish said negotiations would be held with Wellington-based Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa which wanted the whale's head.
DOC shoots stressed and stranded whale
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.