Five whales found dead, optimism over eight refloated at Farewell Spit

The Department of Conservation says five dead pilot whales discovered at Farewell Spit on Thursday were from an earlier stranding, and not part of the pod of eight refloated this week.

DOC's Golden Bay operations manager Ross Trotter said staff had been out on Thursday, checking none of the whales rebeached.

While they were pleased that none had been seen so far, they had spotted the carcasses of five other whales that had washed up on shore.

It is believed they died several days ago and have now washed up on Farewell Spit.

The latest stranding involved a pod of 10 that were seen on Tuesday.

Two of the pod died, but marine mammal medics, Department of Conservation rangers and volunteers were able to refloat the eight survivors with the high tide.

Trotter told Morning Report those working on the refloating last night stayed with the whales so they got their bearings before they were pushed out to deeper water.

Some travelled out by boat so the whales could be tracked.

"We were able to establish they were all swimming strongly and looking quite positive at that stage so we have good hopes for them."

Trotter said he was confident the whales would make a full recovery after being out of the water for almost 24 hours.

For the two that did not survive and the others that have washed up, their carcasses have been tethered below the low tide mark "and nature will take its course".

He said the Farewell Spit area was notorious for whale strandings.

"It has been going on for years. There's been a lot of theories and scientific research into it but we don't know why they [the whales] strand in the first place or why they repeat strand."

The latest stranding came after a large pod of pilot whales were stranded and refloated several times at the start of last month, with more than a dozen dying.