10-metre sperm whale beaches near Auckland

A 10-metre sperm whale was found stranded and dead today on an isolated beach between Karekare and Whatipu, west of Auckland.

Department of Conservation (DoC) spokeswoman Fiona Oliphant said it was in the same area where 12 sperm whales stranded a year ago, and was not connected with the pilot whale stranding at Opoutere, on the Coromendel Peninsula.

DoC staff planned to pull the whale up the beach at low tide tonight and will bury it tomorrow.