Museum to exhibit stranded whale

A minke whale which stranded on Northland's Ninety Mile Beach yesterday could not be saved but will be taken to Te Papa Museum in Wellington for display.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) was informed of the stranding of the juvenile female minke but the whale was in poor condition and had to be put down.

"It's a heartbreaking decision to have to make," DOC ranger William Macrae said.

"But leaving the whale to suffer on the beach would have been worse."

Te Papa's existing minke whale is on loan to Auckland Museum so the whale is to be taken to Te Papa for an educational exhibition.

- NZPA