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Seven dolphins from a pod of 10 beached on Waiheke Island have been refloated and are swimming back out to sea, the Department of Conservation says.
One adult dolphin and a calf died earlier this afternoon after the mass stranding at Whakanewha Bay.
The remaining juvenile dolphin returned to deeper water shortly before 4pm. The animal was monitored by Project Jonah and was seen heading back out into the Hauraki Gulf.
DoC's Auckland inner islands operations manager, Emma Kearney, said efforts to refloat the other dolphins and shepherd them out to sea continued after 4pm.
"As of 4.40pm, the remaining dolphins had been successfully refloated, and had left the bay and were last seen heading out to deeper water."
The two dead dolphins were being taken to Massey University for necropsy.
DoC has had staff at the scene since noon, working alongside Project Jonah, Ngāti Paoa and members of the Waiheke community in an effort to make the dolphins comfortable with a view to refloating them if possible, a statement from DoC said.
Massey University marine mammal specialist Karen Stockin has also been at the scene providing advice and assistance.
"We would like to thank Ngāti Paoa, Project Jonah and the local community for their contributions to the rescue," Kearney said.
The site of the stranding will be checked tomorrow morning in case the animals restrand, the statement said.
***STRANDING ALERT*** We are coordinating with DOC and responding to a mass dolphin stranding on Waiheke Island. We have local medics onsite and senior staff with equipment on the way. Further details will follow.
