Wellington Fireworks Postponed Due to Beloved Visiting Whale

A whale that has charmed locals in Wellington, New Zealand, has also caused quite a stir with its playful presence. Officials reported on July 6 it has blocked ferries and caused a scheduled fireworks display to be postponed.The southern right whale appeared in Wellington Harbour on July 1 and has attracted visitors for five days, according to news outlet Stuff. Wellington City Council announced on Friday that the Matakiri fireworks display slated for the July 7 weekend has been delayed by a week, following advice from the Department of Conservation.“The advice we’ve received is that the noise from the fireworks is unlikely to cause harm to the whale but that it could cause it to act unpredictably if it is in the vicinity,” Wellington’s acting mayor Jill Day said.“We don’t want anyone in boats or kayaks on the water, in the dark, to come off second-best if the whale breaches among them.”Video taken by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) with the Department of Conservation shows the whale surfacing in Wellington Harbour on July 4, while technicians take biopsy samples for analysts. Credit: NIWA New Zealand via Storyful