Stranded whale might be euthanised (New Zealand)

Posted by: The ocean update | October 30, 2014

Stranded whale might be euthanised (New Zealand)

Photo by Lance Birkett

October 30^th, 2014. A cuvier’s beaked whale stranded in Maketu may have to be euthanised if it doesn’t head back out to sea this afternoon.

The four-metre long whale – who has been named Uru by locals – was found stranded on the rocks outside the Maketu surf club at around 8am.

People armed with wetsuits and belly strops tried to refloat the whale about 30 minutes ago, but the half grown juvenile now appears to be stuck on a sandbar.

Department of Conservation Tauranga ranger Brad Angus says it’s probably tired or injured and that’s why it’s been stranded in the first place.

“It’s a reasonably common whale for the area,” he says. “The cuvier’s beaked whale is one of the more common species of whale we have in the Bay.

“These sort of whales grow to about seven metres and this one is around four metres, so I would say it is a half grown juvenile. They are usually fairly solitary or travel in small families but are solitary most of the time.” Brad says they will monitor the whale this afternoon and see how things go.

“It’s likely we might have to euthanise it as it might be too exhausted to go back out to sea.

“The whale is now stuck on the sand bar.”

Brad says they have to wait for the tide to come in and then go back out a bit before they can get a digger in and help dig it out.

“The local kaumatua have already been down to the scene but we will get them back down here again this afternoon.”