A pygmy sperm whale, a rarely seen marine mammal, was found washed ashore at Bigbury Beach in South Devon, England. The incident was reported by the Devon Wildlife Trust, a conservation organization that noted the beach is located about 230 miles southwest of London.
The whale’s body, which bore visible injuries, was first noticed floating in the water before being discovered on the rocky shoreline. “It was kind of wedged in some rock pools,” a beachgoer who witnessed the animal told the BBC. “I think everybody was sad to see it but also fascinated to see this amazing creature … you would rather see them swimming free.”
Local efforts included using a tractor provided by a nearby farmer to move the carcass to a secure area. The Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) will collect the whale for necropsy to establish its cause of death.
Stephen Hussey, spokesperson for Devon Wildlife Trust, called the event “incredibly rare,” stating it is “sad to see such a magnificent and rare mammal” stranded. According to the trust, “This is one of only a handful of strandings for this species in the U.K. since CSIP records began in the 1990s.”
Pygmy sperm whales are significantly smaller than their more familiar relatives. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that they can reach up to 11.5 feet in length and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. They are recognized by their stout bodies and small curved dorsal fins.
“They are so rare, very little is known about them,” according to Devon Wildlife Trust. The species was only identified in 1966. NOAA notes that these whales inhabit deep ocean waters and surface infrequently under calm conditions, making sightings uncommon and population estimates difficult.
Pygmy sperm whales feed on octopus, shrimp, crab, and various fish species. They also have an unusual defense mechanism: “To throw potential attackers off guard, they eject a reddish-brown cloud of intestinal fluid in the water before diving and making their escape,” according to Devon Wildlife Trust. Over three gallons of this liquid can be released at once from a special sac; this behavior has been observed in only one other whale species.
Threats facing pygmy sperm whales include fishing gear entanglements, vessel collisions, underwater noise pollution, marine debris ingestion, and hunting practices.
Recent months have seen similar strandings worldwide; for example, in August a pygmy sperm whale calf washed ashore in Honduras with plastic debris inside its stomach while another stranding occurred in April along North Carolina’s coast.
