Date:  21 December 2018

The whale was reported to DOC around 7 pm yesterday evening and a response team was on site before 9 pm.

The DOC team was joined by iwi and local volunteers, including a member of the fire brigade who supported efforts to keep the whale comfortable.

DOC’s Hauraki Operations Manager Avi Holzapfel praised the dedication of the team who attended to the whale in its final hours and stayed with it overnight.

While the whale was alive when the team arrived, it is thought to have died just before midnight.

The cause of death is unknown at this stage, samples have been taken for genetics, toxicology, and stable isotope analysis.

DOC is working with iwi on plans to bury the large whale.

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