Whale rescue on Northland's Ripiro Beach ends with death of second whale

Volunteers were keeping the whale wet till the last minute yesterday.

Two days of hundreds of people trying to save two stranded whales on a Northland beach ended yesterday with the death of the second whale.

The juvenile whale died on Ripiro beach on Monday morning, after stranding on Sunday morning.

Volunteers, including locals, emergency service workers, Department of Conservation, Project Jonah, Whale Rescue and other groups, swung into action on Sunday morning after a adult female humpback whale and juvenile - possibly the child of the larger whale - washed ashore on Ripiro Beach, south of Dargaville.

Volunteers keep the adult whale wet.

The juvenile whale died on Monday while the adult had to be euthanised yesterday after rescuers were unable to get it back into the Tasman Sea, despite a tremendous effort.

Experts hope the deaths won't be in vain with samples taken from the mammals used for vital research.

The adult humpback whale was keeping a close eye on its would-be rescuers.

Here are some of the images from the rescue operation from Northern Advocate photographer Michael Cunningham.