Orca may join Snells' pod

The Conservation Department hopes the juvenile orca released from Takapuna Beach at the weekend will catch up with another pod.

A group of between 10 and 15 has been seen off Martins Bay near Snells Beach.

The orca, believed to be a four-year-old female, was found stranded at Whatipu on the west coast on Friday.

A rescue team including Project Jonah, Auckland Regional Council and Conservation Department staff worked around the clock to keep her wet.

On Saturday she was moved more than 40km on a trailer from Huia Beach to the Shore.

But after she was released, the whale was seen by kayakers up Henderson Creek in the Waitemata Harbour.

A rescue team then guided her to the Hauraki Gulf.

When the Rodney Times went to print on Monday afternoon there had been no sightings of the animal.

Conservation Department community relations programme manager Bill Trusewich says no news is good news because it means she isn’t in trouble.

The relaunch was watched by French environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of legendary ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

The killer whale headed back towards the harbour bridge whenever a ferry approached. Mr Trusewich says the Conservation Department team spent five hours with her on Sunday.

He hopes she will catch up with the nearest pod.

"We are giving it the best chance it can have but it’s up to the animal to smarten up really. We are on call if its safety is in jeopardy."

Mr Trusewich says killer whales behave in ways we don’t understand.

"All we can do is let it get on with its life and look after it when it’s in trouble."A phone number for sightings has been set up by Orca Research Trust founder Ingrid Visser.

"We welcome her expertise. She understands orcas better than anyone in the country," Mr Trusewich says.

He says the rescue efforts of the Coastguard, police, regional council and Project Jonah were very valuable.

"We couldn’t have done it alone."

- © Fairfax NZ News