14/08/2012

Stranded Whale Dies On Cornwall Beach

A whale washed up on a beach in Cornwall has died.

The 65ft (20m) fin whale was reported stranded on the beach at 16:45.

Some 300 people gathered on the beach but the site was cordoned off to avoid distressing the whale any further.

Faye Archell, a vet from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said the mammal was “incredibly undernourished” and had a very high breathing rate which suggested it was “very sick and distressed”.

Saying there was no hope of refloating the animal, Archell said: "It would be wrong for us to put a sick animal back into the sea. We are frustrated about it but we cannot help it."

The fin whale is the second largest animal on the planet and an endangered species.

(H)


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