Heavy whale found dead on New Zealand beach left to rot

BEIJING: A large dead whale has washed up on a rocky section of the Taranaki, a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island.

Officials from the Department of Conservation said the whale, which is thought to weigh about 100 tonnes, is so heavy that it’s likely unsafe to move the carcass.

The department is considering leaving the carcass to decompose naturally.

The public are encouraged to avoid contact with the whale carcass as there a health risk through transfer of disease and the presence of bacteria.

The 19.5-meter-long whale was believed to be a blue whale, the largest species on earth.