A pod of whales have become beached in at Taylor's Bay near Māhia, Hawke's Bay.
Video / Wairoa Inc
A desperate attempt to save a large pod of stranded whales from a Hawke’s Bay coastline was still ongoing early on Sunday evening.
About 40 whales, thought to be pilot whales, became stranded at Taylor’s Bay, close to the Mahia township, early in the afternoon.
A large number of locals quickly rushed down to the beach to attempt to rescue the animals.
Mahia police officer Chad Prentice said they managed to get the whales away from the beach into deeper waters, but the whales had “turned around” and become stuck in shallow waters on another nearby beach as at 5.30pm.
“They have turned around and come back in,” he said.
“They have gone down the coast and come in on another beach.”
People wade into the water at Taylor's Bay in Mahia. Photo / Tiria Tomoana
He said Project Jonah, iwi, the Department of Conservation (DoC) and police were working together to try to save them but they were “refusing to head out”.
Prentice said it appeared there were a couple of “stragglers” and the pod was not willing to leave them behind.
The second beach they had come to was secluded, accessible only by boat.
Resident Natalia Gower said a lot of people had gone down to the beach to try to help with the initial rescue.
“There are heaps of people, and they have got an IRB boat and they are trying to herd the whales,” she said.
“The boat is behind them and trying to get them out, like a herd of sheep.”
A boat trying to direct the whales back out to sea in Mahia after they became stranded. Photo / Breanna Gower
Gower has lived in the area for 18 years and said she had never seen a stranding like it.
“We have had a few whales on the beach, but not like all of these.”
DoC confirmed there had been a stranding event involving what looked to be pilot whales at Mahia.
“DoC staff are on their way from Gisborne [and are] expected to arrive later this afternoon,” a DoC spokesperson said shortly after 4pm.
Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.
