Off the coast of Mallorca, local residents discovered a dead whale. This is still a young animal. Now the cause of death is to be determined.
Palma - Residents have made a sad find on the north coast of Mallorca: A dead sperm whale was stuck between two rocks on the cliffs of the Tramuntana mountains. Now authorities want to determine what was the cause of death for the young animal. Meanwhile, on the North Sea coast in England, a dead 30-ton fin whale has posed logistical difficulties for authorities.
A local resident found the carcass of the animal on Monday and then informed the responsible authorities, the regional newspapers Mallorca Zeitung and Mallorca Magazin reported on Thursday, citing a spokesman for the foundation of the Palma Aquarium. The site is located between the villages of Banyalbufar and Estellencs. Off the coast of Spain, dramatic scenes with whales took place in mid-May: Orcas attacked a boat on the open sea. Such incidents are becoming more frequent, so that researchers now suspect an imitation effect in the whales.
Residents discover dead sperm whale in Mallorca - carcass wedged between two rocks
According to the spokesman, the sperm whale is a female cub that is about four meters long. In addition, according to information from Mallorca Magazine, it weighed 1,000 kilograms. A local resident had made his boat available to employees of the foundation in order to reach the carcass between the rocks and take tissue samples. The aim is now to determine the cause of death of the whale. A dead sperm whale was last discovered on the Spanish holiday island in May 2021.
The carcass of a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) in a bay. (Symbolic photo) © imago stock&people / blickwinkel
The dead cub, meanwhile, remains in place. Authorities do not plan to remove the carcass, as it does not pose a danger to ships or bathers due to its position between rocks. "And it's quite positive for the ecosystem," the spokesperson told Mallorca Zeitung. "Many other sea creatures can feed on the body, which leads to a strengthening of the habitat." Accordingly, removal only takes place when it is necessary. Among other things, because the costs of such actions are very expensive. You have to instruct the garbage collector to remove the carcass.
Dead sperm whale discovered off Mallorca's coast - how should bathers react to a find?
According to information from the nature conservation organization Pro Wildlife, sperm whales are represented in all oceans of the world. Males can grow up to 20 meters long and weigh more than 50 tons. In addition, they are record-breaking among mammals: it is believed that they can dive up to 3,000 meters deep in search of food.
According to the foundation, anyone who finds a dead whale as a bather should definitely keep their hands off the carcass. Also, sick animals of any kind should not be touched in the ocean. The foundation recommends dialing the emergency number 112. Through the call, the responsible authorities would be contacted and the carcass would be professionally cared for. In most cases, this is done by the foundation in Mallorca. (nz with dpa material)