Pygmy Sperm Whale washed up Forster Main Beach, New South Wales

25 Apr, 2012

A “very, very juvenile,” pygmy sperm whale washed up in wild weather at the northern end of Forster Main Beach on Thursday. It is believed the whale, which was dead upon becoming beached, had died at sea and been left behind.

A YOUNG LIFE LOST: Forster SLSC lifeguard Simon Lee with the juvenile sperm whale that was beached at the northern end of Main Beach last week. Photo courtesy of Shane Chalker Photography.

“A whale this young would not have been easily separated from its group because this particular type of whale stays very close,” National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) ranger Katrina Grey said at the scene.

View of Tuncurry from Forster side

“It still has neo-natal rolls on it from in the womb so it is very, very young and that suggests that there was some sort of issue that the mother would have recognised and the group has left it behind and it has subsequently washed up here.”

NPWS area manager Stephen Smith said it was a natural process for a juvenile whale that is debilitated to be left behind.

“Despite some minor scrapes and some small cookie-cutter shark bites there was no obvious sign of injury that may have led to its death,” he said.

“As the bond between individual mothers and calves is very strong it is very unusual when they are found apart.

“In situations like this, and in an absence of obvious causes of death, it is very possible this individual had some defect that led to it being abandoned by its mother. Harsh as this may seem to us we may be witnessing a mechanism many group or herd species use to help maintain the integrity of population health.”

Mr Smith said that the whale was buried in a specially designated spot at Pacific Palms.

“Great Lakes Council staff assisted with removal of the animal which was then transported to an area specially set aside to bury marine mammal carcasses,” Mr Smith said.

People should report stranded marine mammals or turtles they find to their nearest NPWS office. In the Great Lakes area telephone 6591 0300.

greatlakesadvocate.com.au

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