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ONE OF THE biggest marine creatures in the world – the sperm whale – was discovered washed ashore in Galway yesterday.
Last week, fishermen recorded seeing a carcass of a sperm whale, which are traditionally deep water mammals, close to the surface off the west coast of Ireland.
Marine animals such as whales often come ashore when they are dying after leaving their pod.
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) said the latest beaching was likely to be the same whale spotted last week.
“Another sperm whale was washed up yesterday, this time at Mace Head, Moyrus in Connemara. It’s most likely the same whale reported floating by commercial fisherman fishing out of Ballyconeelly,” it said.
This circa 40 foot whale is in great condition and well worth taking a trip out to Mace Head to see. Three sperm whales washed up this year, it’s a little unusual but nothing sinister.
“Please report any strandings to see if this is the start of something more worrying.”
On Tuesday last, a sperm whale also washed up in Magheroarty in County Donegal.
In February last year, the IWDG said a record number of whales and dolphins were washing up on Irish shores, partly due to them ingesting plastics and other materials floating in the ocean.
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Sad! If I was to hazard I guess I’d plastic has a role to play.. Bet if you opened the whale up you’d find a lot of plastic
@Chonky Racoon: that’s what it says in the article!!
@Colette Kearns: I didn’t read it. Big oppsies by me :)
@Chonky Racoon: while it may well have plastic in its stomach (almost definitely does, to be honest), it wouldn’t be as common with sperm whales as they are toothed whales who actually hunt. Large amounts of plastic tend to be ingested by baleen whales who filter feed and don’t actively seek out specific prey.
Very sad reading!. Magnificent creatures!, yet man is destroying their simple right of life!.
Maybe one the 100 or so foreign Factory trawlers towing of the west coast of Ireland got it up in there nets and then dumped back the body and then it got washed up. That would be my guess.
@missroisin: You think a trawler accidentally picked up a 40ft whale and then threw it back in? Are you for real?
@Tweety McTweeter: have you ever seen a factory ship? They’re absolutely huge, there nets are about a mile or so long and just as tall! It could quite possibly be a cause!
@Liam Whelan: no your right. I went to the shops earlier and when I got home I found an elephant in my pocket. Must have picked it up by mistake.
@Tweety McTweeter: google annelies llena and magiris trawler , there is a massive fleet of worlds largest trawlers fishing of Ireland and yes you would fit 10 in there nets . So sort your comments out with facts I never said a trawler, I said a super trawler.
@missroisin: well you didn’t say super you said foreign…
@dowthebow: Well she said factory trawlers, which can have nets spanning close to 1km. So the point still stands.
Don`t rule out Sonar from Submarines from the neighbours, especially in the present climate and friction between countries going on around the world
Could be just old age,and the animal knowing it’s end was near.Sperm Whales feed very deep on squid and unlikely plastic would be the cause in this instance.Many animals do die from old age,even in this polluted age.
@Billy McNamara: I agree Billy but unfortunately plastic has been found recently at depths only a sub can dive. Was on BBC over the weekend. Still devastating for the whales.
A lot of conspiracy theories floating about. Whales aren’t immortal y’know.
@Paraic: Conspiracies, or just theories? Absolutely could have just been a old whale though, that is true.
@Paraic: Scratch that. I see the conspiracy theories now!
So the royal navy is still patrolling our waters in the west killing Whales with there sonar again
@Johnny Conway:
Were whales immortal before submarines were invented?
Ya, would b interesting to open this creature up and see how much plastic is in him. Would b shocked if it was very little.
He may have died of natural causes, but plastic a curse for these creatures
@Angry_Man41: I very much doubt that an autopsy will be carried out €€€
@T Jay O’Mea: I’ll go down and cut him open and have a look if someone pays my diesel!
@Who cares?: Time to set up a Go-Fund me page
There might be plastic and there might not. Fact is, a very distant mammalian cousin died but it’s a bonanza for those who will and should be free to feed on the carcass. Circle of life and hopefully nothing more. As the title says, nothing sinister, though they can pong for a while. Glorious creature.
A stinking, rotting carcass washed up on the beach is a sad but fitting metaphor for Brexit.
If you want to do something about plastic pollution, please share data on litter anywhere @ openlittermap.com – it’s like Pokémon Go for Tidy towns!
A pity. Such a majestic animal.
Ireland has been suffering from a low Sperm Whale count for some time now.
Premature
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