Volunteers are working with the Department of Conservation to save a stranded pilot whale on a Christchurch beach.
Two whales were reported stranded on Waimairi Beach at first light this morning but one had died.
Project Jonah, a volunteer organisation which works to protect whales and dolphins, had been on alert for strandings since a pod of pilot whales was spotted off the shore of Banks Peninsula yesterday afternoon.
Six years ago there had been a mass stranding at Port Levy, said Project Jonah manager Daren Grover.
"Memories of that are still there so we thought 'let's put our medics on standby'."
About 15 trained volunteers were working with DoC and Canterbury Regional Council staff to keep the whale cool and calm with the intention to float it back out to sea when the tide came in at 4 o'clock this afternoon.
The whale was not obviously unwell but there was the possibility it had stranded itself because it was sick, Mr Grover said.
A health check for the whale would be carried out soon.
"The initial prognosis is good but until we know more we can't make a decision. There are several plans of action we could take, one of which is putting the whale down if it is sick."
Mr Grover asked people coming to take a look at Waimairi Beach to follow the volunteers' instructions and keep dogs and small children away from the whale for their own safety.
