Two dolphins have died after a pod of 10 stranded on Waiheke Island's Whakanewha Bay on Friday afternoon.
One juvenile dolphin returned to deeper water just before 4pm. The animal was monitored by Project Jonah and was seen heading back out into the Hauraki Gulf.
Department of Conservation (DoC) Auckland inner islands operations manager Emma Kearney said the remaining seven dolphins were successfully refloated around 4:40pm and were last seen heading out to deeper water.
The adult and calf that died at the scene were taken to Massey University for a necropsy.
"We would like to thank Ngāti Paoa, Project Jonah and the local community for their contributions to the rescue," Kearney said, adding that Massey University marine mammal specialist Karen Stockin has been assisting too.
The site of the stranding will be checked on Saturday morning in case the animals restrand.
