A rare blue whale has been found dead on a beach in New Zealand this week.   Blue whales are highly endangered,  with less than 2,000 thought to be left in the oceans.   The silver lining to this sad death is that the whale apparently died of old age, rather than being killed by any human activities or environmental changes.

The whale was found by a local fisherman who said that the whale measuring almost 90 feet was the largest he had ever seen.  Researchers are taking samples from the whale carcass in order to study more about the creatures,  although the whale's massive size means that it is not possible to transport the entire body.

Many types of whales and other large sea animals spend time in the warm South Pacific waters around New Zealand, and whale watching is one of the top tourist activities for the area, especially the South Island where blue whales, sperm whales, dolphins and seals can be spotted, often in large numbers.

Other whales often find themselves beached or stranded in the shallow coastal areas of the islands, with others being injured when they swim too close to the sharp rocks.  Environmentalists claim that the whale's natural navigational instincts are being harmed by water pollution and changes in ocean currents caused by global warming.

Whaling was once an important part of New Zealand culture, but now the many boats trying to get close to these beautiful creatures now carry harmless cameras rather than harpoons.