The stranded sperm whale on Christchurch's Brighton Beach, which beached itself on Saturday, has been buried after passing away early on Sunday morni
The stranded sperm whale on Christchurch’s Brighton Beach, which beached itself on Saturday, has been buried after passing away early on Sunday morning. The animal was a massive specimen, weighing up to thirty tonnes and measuring fifteen meters long.
Efforts were made to refloat the whale when it initially beached, but sadly, it didn’t survive. It was in a channel beyond the sandbank, and there were hopes that the rising tide would naturally refloat it. However, the whale couldn’t be saved.
Before the burial, local iwi blessed the whale with a karakia (a Mฤori incantation or prayer). This marks the fifth sperm whale stranding in New Zealand within the last month.
Project Jonah, a whale conservation group, explained the challenges in refloating large whales like sperm whales. Successful refloats are rare due to their size, weight, and often, underlying health conditions.
This event highlights the difficulty and complexities associated with marine mammal strandings and the efforts made to respect these majestic creatures.
