Marine experts were yesterday working to figure out what caused a rare beaked whale to become stranded - and tragically die - on the shore at Swansea this week.
A passer-by found the whale still alive but beached on Monday afternoon.
The Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA), National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW Fisheries and Lake Macquarie City Council were called to the scene, but the mammal could not be saved.
ORRCA vice president Jools Farrell said it was the fourth case between the Hunter and Mid North Coast in the past five weeks.
"It seems to be that they have all become stranded when the seas are big and rough," she told the Newcastle Herald.
"At the moment there's a necropsy being done on the beaked whale stranded [on Monday] by Taronga Zoo and also ORRCA members to try to find out the cause of death.
"We may be able to find out the reason why - whether it was sick, whether it was old, whether it was due to misadventure."
The beaked whales travel in groups of up to 10, so ORRCA is keeping an eye out for more in the area.
"It's a very traumatic experience for the people who are there - especially the gentleman who found it," Ms Farrell said.
People can report cases of stranded whales, dugongs and dolphins to ORRCA on 9415 3333.
