New Zealand Update

2026, February 26. New Zealand, near Port Waikato. Single small cetacean. Māui and Hector’s dolphins look nearly identical; DNA testing is required to confirm which subspecies it is. Based on location, it is likely a Māui dolphin, of which only 48–64 individuals remain.

2026, March 3. New Zealand, Auckland, St Heliers. Shepherd's beaked whale stranded and refloated on high tide.  Update 20260305: Despite the successful refloat, the whale was found again the next morning at Hobsonville Point, around 25–30 km away from the original stranding point.

2026, March 3. New Zealand, Pareora Beach, south of Timaru, on the east coast of the South Island. A deceased juvenile female humpback whale. It's the first Humpback to strand in the region in seven years. Authorities are investigating the death.

See posts below for past meteor activity and strandings.