Department of Conservation

Toa, the baby orca who captured hearts after he was found stranded in New Zealand waters, has lost his fight for survival, conservationists confirmed July 24.

The killer whale, less than 2.5 meters long and believed to be four to six months old, became front-page news when he washed ashore near the capital Wellington after becoming separated from his pod nearly two weeks ago.

Wildlife rescuers in New Zealand were scrambling to keep a stranded baby orca alive July 14, as volunteers scoured waters off Wellington to find the calf's mother.

Up to 145 pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in a remote part of New Zealand, with authorities saying Monday they made the "heart-breaking" decision to euthanise dozens that lay stricken on the shore, reports AFP. 

The stranding was discovered by a hiker late Saturday on Stewart Island, 30 kilometres (19 miles) off the southern coast of the South Island.