Rare whale on way to Te Papa

One of the rarest whales in New Zealand has been exhumed from its burial place near a Coromandel beach for removal to Te Papa Museum in Wellington.

The 2.4-metre, male, melon-headed whale died on rocks on Brophy's Beach, Whitianga in January last year.

It was the first recorded sighting of a melon-headed whale in New Zealand waters, although Te Papa has the skull of this species from the museum's early, pre-1900 days. It's not known where it came from.

Te Papa marine mammals collection manager Anton van Helden said the whale could go on display.