Whale strandings in New Zealand for January linked to meteoroid events with an Australian connection.

Looking at the complete picture, New Zealand is in a very active meteoroid stream. This apparently has been the case for some time. 

2024, January 8. New Zealand, Between South and North Island. High Altitude Meteor. Time 15:17. Traveling east to west at 100 km travelling prograde at 57km/s.

2024, January 8. South Australia, Eight Mile Creek, southeast of Mount Gambier, east of Port McDonald. Dozens of dead sea animals, including sharks and octopuses, wobbegong sharks, but also snapper, wrasse, octopuses, Port Jackson sharks, stingrays, salmon and ling. Almost a straight line from New Zealand to Australia from the above meteoroid.

2024, January 9 and 10. New Zealand. Two Gray’s beaked whales were stranded on two separate beaches near South Taranaki on Tuesday and Wednesday. The whales were already dead when located on Waipipi coastline and were between 3.5 and 4m in length. This came between 24 and 48 hours after the above meteor event.

2024, January 21. New Zealand, North Island-East Coast, Hawke's Bay, reef near Māhia, Tairāwhiti beach, Taylor’s Beach. 40 false killer whales and bottlenose dolphins were euthanised. The pod first stranded early in the afternoon but refloated with the high tide at about 3pm. They were then stranded at a remote and inaccessible reef point further south from Taylor’s Beach.

2024, January 21. New Zealand, North Island. Time 9:12pm. The fireball was seen in Auckland, Waikato, Gisborne, Waipawa and Hawke’s Bay, the same day 40 false killer whales were stranded in the area. A loud sonic boom was heard as it flew overhead, travelling from N.W to S.E. It was described as a low travelling large ball of fire.

2024. January 28. New Zealand, Christchurch, Moncks Bay. 7m long Fin whale stranded. Stranded at 9pm and died at 3am following morning.

2024. January 29 - 30. New Zealand, Baylys Beach, East Coast, North Island. 3 Black Dolphins. The first one washed up from a pod offshore of approx. 10 - 12 individuals. The second was 2km further up the beach and was 3m long. The third washed up the next day. Baylys Beach is a small section of Ripiro Beach, which is the longest west coast beach in New Zealand. It’s located in the Kaipara district near Dargaville. PCTE