A dead sperm whale washed up at Matapaua Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula in October 2022. Photo / Nick Kelly, DoC
A dead sperm whale washed up at Matapaua Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula in October 2022. Photo / Nick Kelly, DoC
The dead sperm whale that washed up at a Coromandel beach in October needs to be reburied after Cyclone Gabrielle’s rage this week uncovered the burial site.
When the dead whale was washed up in October, the Department of Conservation (DoC) consulted with Ngāti Hei who buried the whale on the beach at Wharekaho, just north of Whitianga.
The animal was buried in a large hole and covered with two metres of sand, following DoC’s standard procedure for the burial of large marine mammals.
However, the recent heavy seas whipped up by Cyclone Gabrielle have now compromised the entire beach. Homes and properties have been greatly affected by inundation and the burial site was no exception.
DoC’s Coromandel operations manager Nick Kelly says his team is striving to deal with the situation once resources and conditions allow doing so.
“We have visited the site this week and we’re formulating a plan to arrange for the reburial of the whale,” Kelly says.
“Our first challenge is obtaining the resources and expertise we need to carry out this work. The peninsula has been hit very hard by Cyclone Gabrielle and resources really need to be directed to where they are most urgently required.”
Wharekaho Beach, north of Whitianga. Photo / NZME
DoC staff in Coromandel are involved in the wider multi-agency response to the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and are triaging work and resources accordingly.
Kelly urged people to stay away from the whale until further notice and to be patient and cooperative during a time of immense stress.
“We really need our community to pull together at this time. We will get to the whale when we have the resources and expertise available. The best way residents can help us is by keeping clear of the site and allowing us time to do what we need on the beach.”
When the whale came ashore last year, DoC made the decision to bury the whale at Wharekaho after extensive discussion with local iwi Ngāti Hei. Iwi representatives took the rare opportunity to carry out a cultural harvest of materials from the whale, a process often referred to as flensing.
The exposed whale at Wharekaho, north of Whitianga. Photo / DoC, Whitianga.
Ngāti Hei kaumātua Joe Davis, whose home overlooks Wharekaho, asked for respect for culture and tikanga during a difficult time.
“Ngāti Hei see whales as a taonga, in this case, a taonga gifted to us as a resource for cultural use for cultural reasons - it’s a really important part of our ancient Ngāti Hei history.
“I’m asking our community to support us and our treaty partners the Department of Conservation during a very trying time, regardless of their own views.”
