One dolphin strands, three others at risk

One dolphin has died and three more are at risk of stranding after swimming up a Northland river in New Zealand. Department of Conservation (DOC) staff have been trying to herd the bottlenose dolphins out of the Oruaiti River in the Far North and back out to sea in the Mangonui Harbour.

So far, three attempts to herd the pod back out to sea have been unsuccessful but DOC biodiversity manager for Kaitaia Patrick Whaley said they would continue trying to herd the dolphins back into the harbour. The dolphins are well able to swim up the river, even on low tide, as the water is quite deep, so hopefully they will head out of the river by themselves.



Killer whales had been reported in Mangonui Harbour and DOC staff suspected the dolphins had headed up river for safety.