Storm Éowyn may wash whale carcass on Waterford beach back out to sea

The cause of death of a whale that washed up at Ballinclamper beach in Waterford cannot be determined, but it was likely dead for one to two weeks.

That is according to the Irish Whale and Dolphin group, who said their volunteers alerted them to the carcass on Monday, January 20.

They said in a social media post that it is likely an adult fin whale, and strandings are not unusual.

“IWDG have a network of volunteers around the country who visit stranded cetaceans to collect various data, including images, measurements, and skin samples for the Irish Cetacean Genetic Tissue Bank.

“Due to the lack of skin on the carcass, no sample was collected. From the images received and the significant level of decomposition, a cause of death cannot be determined at this time,” said the group.

The group say Storm Éowyn may wash the carcass back out to sea.

But if not, or until then, the public should stay away from it.

“We strongly advise everyone, and pets, to keep their distance from the animal for health and safety reasons,” said the group.

Waterford City and County Council are also advising the public to stay away from a dead whale.

A spokesperson for the council told the Waterford News and Star earlier this week that the IWDG are responsible for investigating the death of the animal while the council are responsible for burial.

“The Council’s role in situations such as this is the removal/burial of any dead marine life such as dolphins, whales and seals that wash up on our public beaches and to arrange for the safe disposal of carcasses. Waterford City and County Council advises that the public report any incidents of large dead marine life to the Council and also advises members of the public, especially dog walkers, to keep away from the whale for health and safety reasons,” said the spokesperson.

However, in their post, the IWDG said access to the animal is very difficult. They say the council cannot get access to dispose of the body, and they have estimated the time of death from photos.

If the storm washes the carcass back to sea, no disposal will be needed.

The group asks that if the public does spot a whale at sea or stranded, they report it to them.

“If you are fortunate enough to spot a fin whale at sea (or stranded), please report your sighting to IWDG on www.iwdg.ie or the IWDG Reporting App. Your reports are critical in helping us better understand these magnificent mammals and how they use Irish waters,” said the group.

Read more about this story here

View more images of the whale here