A Dunedin surfer has run into trouble with the Department of Conservation (DoC) after approaching two southern right whales resting off a local beach.
Dunedin men Craig Latta and Sam Todd paddled out around 100 metres at St Clair Beach yesterday to get close to the whales. Drone footage shows one - Mr Todd - touching the whale during the encounter and the mammal flicking its tail in response.
DoC spokesman David Agnew says that's never a good idea, as you run the risk of being hurt or catching a disease. DoC guidelines advise the public to stay at least 50 metres away from whales.
"My impression is they took a big risk, probably unknowingly, by approaching the whale and getting that close to the whale and actually touching it. When it flicked its tail it looked awfully close to the person," Mr Agnew says.
"These are large wild animals that weigh 30 or 40 tonnes and are 30 to 40 feet long."
Mr Todd is yet to respond to DoC's comments but described the touch as a "once in a lifetime experience" shortly after the encounter yesterday.
"I ... left my board in the water and floated on top of one of them and touched one with both hands and that was pretty awesome," he said.
"Not many people in the world get a chance to have an experience like this one and for it to happen in little old Dunedin, it's pretty special."
DoC is currently considering whether to prosecute under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Mr Agnew claimed the interaction could have left the whale infected.
"They have really sensitive skin so touching a whale can compromise the skin and leave it more open to infection or disease," he says.
"We're mammals and whales obviously are as well so there's a chance for disease transfer both ways."
The whales have been spotted again today with sightings reported further out to sea.
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