A single adult common dolphin was observed swimming close into the shore.  Whale Rescue was called immediately and the dolphin was taken out to sea to be released.

A large group of bottlenose dolphins entered the Ngunguru estuary to hunt mullet a typical fish found in this area.  One of the females became stuck and Whale Rescue was on hand to help.

Not a true rescue as we were alerted to the fact that this animal was dead upon discovery, but Whale Rescue team members still attended - in order to collect data and assist other researchers.

This young male stranded where the locals have seen a number of orca strandings. They were quickly on location and had him upright and comfortable.

A ‘large whale in trouble’ was reported wallowing in the shallows well inside Whangarei Harbour.  Dr Ingrid Visser launched her boat to investigate and found a Southern right whale feeding in the waters around the mud banks.

A young orca was reported dead and floating near the Noises Islands, in the Outer Hauraki Gulf.  Dr Ingrid Visser was alerted and the carcass was kindly recovered by Auckland Coastguard.

A teenage male orca became stranded on a beach south of Whangarei.  After an all-night ordeal he was released and has been sighted every year since.

An adult Bryde’s whale made its way 23 km up the Whangarei River to strand on the mud flats near the center of town.  After an all night vigil it was refloated and rafted alongside boats.

Beaked whales are one of the most numerous groups of whales or dolphins, in terms of the number of species, yet most people have never heard of them.  A stranding mass stranding of six Gray’s beaked whales, near Whangarei, yielded some interesting results.