New Zealand and Iran have baleens strand

2026, September10. New Zealand, Cook Strait. Camera: Tapo facing North and West in Marlborough. Fireball. Time: 21:51. Duration: 5 seconds. I'm waiting for audio data, if any, on this.

2026, September 14. New Zealand, Marlborough coastline, Cloudy Bay, Wairau Bar coastline, near the mouth of the Wairau River. A juvenile pygmy right whale stranded. At the moment, it's not clear if death occurred before beaching.

This is a stranding in Iran. The Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf are at high risk of cetacean fatalities. Upon seeing the dolphin deaths from the Ukraine/Russia war (Black Sea and the Sea of Azov), it's prudent and transparent to collect and share data.

2026, September 13. Iran, near Bandar Charak (Bandar Lengeh County) in the Hormozgan Province. A large furrow whale carcass, initially identified as a Bryde’s whale, has been discovered on the coast. Its cause of death remains unknown as the state of decomposition is advanced. Historically, at least 26 baleen whale events, with nearly half explicitly identified or tentatively verified as Bryde’s whales. Genetic and morphological reviews of historical "Bryde's whale" strandings in Iran revealed that some coastal specimens were actually Omura's whales (Balaenoptera omurai). For example, a juvenile live-stranding at Qeshm Island in September 2007 was initially thought to be a Bryde's whale but was later re-evaluated as an Omura's whale.

Also: 2026, September 14. USA, California. A subadult fin whale floating ~10km offshore. In the first stages of decomposition.

Fireball in Tasman Sea

A fireball was seen over Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Otago, Tasman, Waikato and West Coast on Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024, around 08:01 UT. See June 30 post for the Marine Animal Disturbance. It was one of several notable meteors that entered the atmosphere in the last 24 hours with others seen in the southern states of Australia. It was part of a swarm of objects seen at 6:30pm, followed by the one above at about 9pm local time and two more just after 4am. Although unlikely it could be precursor material for an airburst. With limited information concerning Tasmanian atmospheric events, it is almost impossible to ascertain what is happening, however, a watch should be noted for the next few weeks just to be safe. Bass Strait, Southern Ocean, Tasman Sea, Victoria, Tasmania, Flinders, and King Islands.

American Meteor Society (amsmeteors.org)

New Zealand whale stranding after March meteor/fireball

The meteor/fireball and the corresponding whale stranding in New Zealand in March-April. This post could have future updates.

2024, March 29. New Zealand, Manawatū-Whanganui, Marlborough, Taranaki, Waikato and Wellington. Large Meteor/Fireball. Time 05:42 UT. Local time: 6:35. North Island, west coast, travelling west towards the Tasman Sea. It was seen, heard and felt over a distance of 500km. Second significant fireball event since the March 13 meteor impact. Great image of the trail taken. Explosion, shockwave and tremor. Eyewitness account: “It felt like an earthquake, followed by a shockwave”, “I didn’t see the fireball - but felt the explosion and shockwave. It was the loudest explosion we have ever heard, felt the earth move, and there was a sudden weird wind momentarily straight after the event.”

2024, April 3. New Zealand. A 15m dead whale (Possibly humpback or blue whale) has washed up on Parapara Beach in Golden Bay (near Farewell Spit) Cook Strait/Tasman Sea. First seen at sea on the 2 April. Project Jonah is investigating the incident.

2024, April 13+-. New Zealand, Wairarapa, Riversdale Beach. Juvenile female orca. Washed up in bad condition and subsequently euthanized.

2024, April 18. New Zealand, North Island, West End, Ōhope Beach, Bay of Plenty Beach. An infant pilot whale washed up on Ōhope Beach.

Google Maps

New Zealand meteor

2024, April 18. New Zealand, Canterbury, Marlborough, Tasman and Wellington. Fireball. Time: Around 07:59 UT or 19:59NZST.

American Meteor Society (amsmeteors.org)