A dead minke whale has washed up on the shore of an Aberdeenshire beach.
The whale carcass was discovered by a dog walker on Sandend Beach at about 6.30am on Monday.
Claire Meadows, who lives in Sandend, said she was surprised to come across the decomposed whale.
“It had been raining very heavily so the beach was completely empty,” she said. “There are normally more people on the beach.
“It must have washed up overnight because it was not there the evening before. As soon as I saw it, I got the dogs back on their leads and reported it.”
Whale to be removed from Sandend Beach
Mrs Meadows called the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) who asked her to send close-up photos so they could identify the mammal.
Teams request shots of the whale’s body, head and mouth, as well as any marks, cuts and lesions, to extract as much information as possible.
“It must be about 15 to 16ft,” she said. “And, they believe it’s a junior minke whale that was not fully grown.
“There won’t be an autopsy carried out because it is too decomposed.”
The whale carcass will be removed from the beach by the council within the next three days.
In the meantime, those visiting the beach are asked to not touch the carcass and to keep pets away.
Anyone who comes across a dead or stranded marine animal is urged to contact Smass on 07979 245 893 or by e-mail on strandings@sruc.ac.uk
Aberdeenshire Council has been contacted for comment.
Conversation