Latest FromWhales and Whaling
![Aust fights whaling in international court](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Aust fights whaling in international court
Australia is to argue Japan's whaling activities have breached international obligations.
!['No alternative' to putting down whales](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
'No alternative' to putting down whales
A decision to kill 48 pilot whales found stranded on Stewart Island had been difficult but there was no alternative, DoC says.
![NZ Govt welcomes end to whaling season](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
NZ Govt welcomes end to whaling season
Foreign Minister Murray McCully says he welcomes today's announcement by the Japanese Government that its whaling fleet will stop whaling in the Southern Ocean and return home.
![Activists confident whaling fleet heading back to Japan](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Activists confident whaling fleet heading back to Japan
Activists tailing a Japanese whaling ship say it has turned around and is on course for Japan.
![Whaling suspension a bluff - Sea Shepherd](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Whaling suspension a bluff - Sea Shepherd
Anti-whaling activists say reports of Japan's annual Southern Ocean whale hunt being suspended are a bluff.
![Japan suspends Antarctic whale hunt - reports](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Japan suspends Antarctic whale hunt - reports
The Japanese whaling fleet appears to have called an early end to its whaling season in Antarctica, a move which conservationists tentatively say could spell an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean.
![Pilot whales restranded](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Pilot whales restranded
A group of pilot whales appears to have beached once more on Farewell Spit, at the top of the South Island.
![Stranded whales swim off on high tide](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Stranded whales swim off on high tide
A pod of 66 pilot whales beached west of Nelson yesterday swam off on the high tide overnight, DOC says.
![DOC puts stranded whales out of misery](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
DOC puts stranded whales out of misery
DOC staff have killed 10 pilot whales which survived the stranding of a pod of 24 in Parengarenga harbour in the Far North.
![Close encounter on a giant scale](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Close encounter on a giant scale
"It was cool. It turned on its side and just sat there looking at us just under the water."
![Four whales die but one saved](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Four whales die but one saved
Four whales stranded at Port Waikato yesterday are to be buried in sand dunes just metres from where they lay.
![Washed up whale will be left to rot](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Washed up whale will be left to rot
A whale that washed up last week around 40km north of Muriwai beach on Auckland's west coast will be left to rot, the Department of Conservation says.
![NZ not joining whaling court action](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
NZ not joining whaling court action
New Zealand won't join in Australian court action over Japanese whaling but will have input into the case.
![Joint call for caution in whaling wars](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
Joint call for caution in whaling wars
New Zealand is one of four nations calling for whaling protest ships in the Southern Ocean to safeguard life at sea.