Rare whale dies after mysteriously trying to strand itself on New Zealand beach

A rare whale recently died after mysteriously attempting to strand itself on a beach in New Zealand.

Locals noticed the animal — a strap-toothed whale — swimming “erratically” near East Clive Beach, located on the east coast of the North Island, according to Hawke’s Bay Today, a local newspaper.

A video posted by a local whale watching Facebook page shows the whale moving slowly and splashing around in the shallow water.

“DOC’s marine experts have confirmed this is a strap-toothed whale, a species of beaked whale,” Lindsay Tallman, senior community ranger at New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC), told McClatchy News.

Another whale was also seen nearby, Tallman said, adding, “We believe them to be a mum and calf pair.”

Tallman confirmed that the larger whale — presumably the mother — was trying to strand itself and that it has since died.

“While whale and dolphin strandings are common in New Zealand, why they do this is not fully known, with a range of factors potentially at play,” Tallman said.

Sickness, navigational error and bad weather could all come into play, according to the DOC’s website. Pregnant whales experiencing challenges giving birth are also known to strand.

Named for their dolphin-esque beaks, beaked whales are considered rare.

They “are among the least-known groups of mammals due to their usual deep-sea habitat and elusive behaviour,” the DOC website states.

And strap-toothed whales, in particular, are “rarely seen,” according to Whale and Dolphin Conservation, a nonprofit.

They largely feed on squid and are found throughout temperate stretches of ocean in the southern hemisphere, including along the coasts of Argentina, South Africa and Australia.

This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Rare whale dies after mysteriously trying to strand itself on New Zealand beach."