Large whale carcass washes ashore
Jack Malcolm
Bystanders catch a glimpse of the whale carcass. Photo: Supplied.
The carcass of a large whale which washed ashore in the Waimea Inlet area has been buried.
The whale was 17.5 metre long and is thought to be a pygmy blue whale, with tissue samples taken for genetic testing to determine the species.
Te Tau Ihu iwi representatives blessed the dead whale, and it was buried on site on Sunday morning.