Deep-sea whale strands on central Auckland beach

RNZ

3 Mar, 2026 04:14 AMQuick Read

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Project Jonah marine mammal medics and Department of Conservation staff respond to the stranding of a Shepherd’s beaked whale at St Heliers. Photo / Project Jonah New Zealand

A whale has stranded on St Heliers Beach in Auckland.

Project Jonah, alongside the Department of Conservation (DoC), responded after a Shepherd’s beaked whale was spotted late this morning.

Spokeswoman Louisa Hawkes said Shepherd’s beaked whales lived in the deep sea, and only came
up to shore if something was wrong.

Massey University’s Cetacean Ecology Research Group had done an initial assessment of the whale, but needed to assess it further.