Department of Conservation operations manager Murihiku John McCarroll said the animal was identified as a Gray’s beaked whale, or hakurā, a species seldom seen due to its preference for deep ocean waters.
It was discovered early Tuesday morning by a member of the public out walking their dog.
Doc were notified and staff arrived on site about an hour later.
‘‘The animal was a mature male, 4.6m long and had washed up dead,’’ Mr McCarroll said.
‘‘The overall size combined with extensive scarring on the skin suggest it was an old individual; the absence of evidence to the contrary would support a conclusion of death by natural causes.’’
Gray’s beaked whales are rarely observed alive, and much of what is known about them comes from stranded specimens.
‘‘Local mana whenua have been consulted and expressed a preference that, once scientific samples are taken to support ongoing knowledge building and conservation, this taonga be buried as close as practicable to where originally found,’’ Mr McCarroll said.
Samples including skin and blubber will be sent to research programmes at universities in Auckland and Palmerston North. — Allied Media
