Te Roroa iwi protect whale carcass at Ripiro Beach

Local iwi have stayed overnight at a Northland beach to prevent opportunists from defacing the carcass of a humpback whale, which was put down on Tuesday. The adult female was found on Ripiro Beach near Dargaville, but rescue attempts to refloat her failed. Her calf died on Monday. Te Roroa trust general manager Snow Tane says iwi, the Department of Conservation and whale conservationists made the decison to put down the humpback using a high-powered gun. He told RNZ Northland reporter Lois Williams the whale's fate was a distressing one, but in Maoridom it can be seen as a sign.