The carcass of a 15-metre sperm whale which died after beaching itself on a sandbar in Rockingham will be removed as soon as possible.
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) confirmed the whale died around 6.30am this morning after it was observed moving away from the sandbar towards Garden Island.
Massive sperm whale appears yards from shore, Port Beach, Australia
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“At around 4:30am this morning, DBCA wildlife and marine officers observed the whale had moved 300m away from the sand bar towards Garden Island. After completing an on-water assessment of the whale, we can confirm that sadly, the whale died at approximately 6:30am,” a statement read.
“We would just like to say thank you to everyone involved in this incident, including the community. Crews are maintaining a safety perimeter around the whale with additional vessels joining the operation early this afternoon, to assist with moving the carcass to a more secure location in the water, away from the beach. The next stage of the operation will involve removing the carcass out of the water.”
Swimmers along that part of the coast are being warned to take care as there may be sharks in the area.
