Friday, September 26, 2008

Stranded Whale Back at Sea

NEW ZEALAND - A seven-metre long whale which was stranded after washing up on Papamoa Beach near Tauranga on Saturday morning has been successfully sent back to sea.

"Nobbie" is well known to local conservationists and has been on the beach before. Several hundred people turned out to the beach where the orca whale had stranded and volunteers helped keep the animal wet and comfortable.

Department of Conservation spokeswoman Katrina Knill says a good tide and a freshly dug trench helped to get Nobbie back into the water sooner than anticipated.

She says he looks like he will be all right but she is urging the public to contact the Conservation Department if they see him getting too close to shore.

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