Whale Rescue is happy to report that Pauatahanui's orca pod appear to have left the area overnight.

Dr Ingrid Visser says that early morning observations from Whale Rescue's "citizen scientist" observer network around the inlet can find no sign of the pod of seven New Zealand orca, who have been present since last Saturday morning.

"We suspect that the quiet of lockdown may have drawn them in to this unusually long stay near this heavily inhabited place. Perhaps the increasing reappearance of people on the water yesterday with the move to Level 3 has led to their decision now to move on".

Yesterday Visser made a public call for DOC to suspend plans to attempt to forcibly herd the orca out of the inlet with multiple boats and noise devices, saying observational evidence did not support them being in distress.

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