Thursday 28 March 2024
 6.4°C   NE Fresh Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Dead sperm whales surface at Muness

One of the sperm whales at Muness on Sunday. Photo: Robbie Brookes

TWO dead sperm whales washed up in a small voe in the south east of Unst in Shetland on Sunday.

A Uyeasound couple discovered the mammals – the largest an adult male more than 40 feet long, the smaller thought to be a juvenile male – at Scollawick, Muness.

Wildlife photographer Robbie Brookes said he went down to see the whales after a call from fellow nature enthusiast Brydon Thomason and was “quite stunned how large they were”.

Brookes said the whales “didn’t appear to be too far gone” and apart from numerous scratches there were no obvious injuries on the sides that were visible.

Karen Hall of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) said the larger of the two appeared to be much further decomposed, with its flesh beginning to come away from its blubber.

“It’s strange they both came ashore at the same place,” she said.

“There’s no indication that it was a live stranding for the other one, but it looks a lot fresher.”

Hall said SNH had spoken to the veterinary college in Inverness about the possibility of conducting a post mortem. Talks will also take place with Shetland Islands Council’s environmental health department about whether the carcasses may need to be moved away from the area.

She said it was difficult to say what had caused the animals’ death, but they appeared to have died at sea and then drifted to the shore.

Sperm whales tend to live on the continental shelf and “we tend to get them coming into Shetland if there’s food available”, Hall added.

 

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.