The female Orca whale at the
centre of a refloating attempt off the south Taranaki coast
near Patea has died overnight.
Department of
Conservation staff and local iwi are at the beach where
there will be karakia before samples are taken for testing
and this will be followed by the orca whale being
buried.
Whanganui DOC Operations Manager Jasmine
Hessell says in spite of the huge effort by local volunteers
and DOC staff the large mammal was unable to be kept alive
and
refloated.
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