A large whale stranded in Christchurch has died overnight.
The whale became stuck in the Avon Heathcote Estuary on Sunday night, prompting hundreds of people to come and watch the joint rescue mission by the Department of Conservation (DoC), the Coast Guard and Project Jonah.
Unfortunately, despite rescue efforts, the whale is believed to have died overnight, DoC said in an update on Monday morning.
"The whale appears to have stranded in standing water in the middle of the estuary near Moncks Bay and is being rolled by the tide, which may sometimes make it look like it is moving," DOC Mahaanui operations manager Andy Thompson said.
"We do not know why the whale came into the estuary on Sunday night."
The whale is thought to be a minke or Bryde's whale and an expert will be later confirming which species it is.
Later on Monday, DoC crews worked to retrieve the whale carcass from the water.
"We are working closely with Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga, Project Jonah and the Coastguard," Thompson said.
"We're asking members of the public to keep clear of the area if possible, we do not need any assistance. Please keep any boats, including kayaks, off the water."
It comes a week after a pod of around 40 large whales and dolphins became stranded on Taylor's Bay near Māhia, Hawke's Bay.
The false killer whales and bottlenose dolphins were assessed as being unlikely to survive and as a result, they were euthanised.
