Locals and DoC staff battled to keep the 14-metre Sei whale alive. Photo / Jo Richards, The GB WeeklyA whale that stranded at Farewell Spit died before the high tide could reach it, despite the efforts of volunteers. The 17 metre-long Sei whale was beached around 1km from the high water mark and it was hoped the whale would be able to refloat itself when the tide was at its peak, around 1.30am today. General manager of the New Zealand whale-saving organisation Project Jonah, Daren Grover, told the Herald the whale died around 10pm yesterday. The whale would be refloated and towed out to the Farewell Spit tidal flats at the next high tide, after local iwi bless the animal.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 04, 2020 18:36 UTC