Department of Conservation staff have successfully refloated the surviving pilot whale of a small pod that was found beached in Golden Bay yesterday morning.
DoC spokeswoman Trish Grant said a member of the public reported five whales stranded at Taupata Point, about 2km south of Puponga, where a mass stranding of pilot whales happened last month.
When DoC staff arrived at the site only four whales were found, three of which were dead, Ms Grant said.
Staff managed to refloat the surviving whale, which was last seen swimming strongly out to sea.
The fifth whale could not be found and may have refloated itself on the incoming tide and gone out to sea, she said.
The three dead whales were young, but the refloated one was an adult.
Ms Grant said DoC staff were arranging the disposal of the dead whales in consultation with local iwi.
A massive effort by DoC staff and hundreds of volunteers managed to refloat 100 pilot whales at Puponga on December 21.
Another stranding of about 50 long-finned pilot whales happened at Farewell Spit 10 days later, but none could be saved.
- NZPA
DoC staff refloat beached pilot whale in Golden Bay
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