40ft Sperm whale dead at Old Hunstanton Beach, Norfolk, England *PICS*VIDEOS*

Chris Bishop

Saturday, December 24, 2011

A 40ft sperm whale has been found washed up dead on a Norfolk beach.

The huge mammal, found by a dog walker on Christmas Eve, had a large gash to its stomach.

The sand around its tail did not appear disturbed,

suggesting the creature was dead before the tide carried it onto the sands at Old Hunstanton.

The sperm whale which was found washed up on Old Hunstanton Beach today. Picture: Chris Bishop

Large crowds gathered to see the whale, which is near the high tide mark, close to the Lifeboat Station and LeStrange Arms. Whales are …

eveningnews24.co.uk

East Anglian Daily Times
A 40ft sperm whale has been found washed up dead on an East Anglian beach today.

eadt.co.uk

Hunstanton Beach – the dead whale *PICS*

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 Big pictures at Dailymail

dailymail.co.uk

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Call for action over whale body in Hunstanton after jaw bone hacked off

Friday 30 December 2011

Sperm whale on Old Hunstanton beach.

GHOULISH visitors have been picking up gruesome souvenirs from a decomposing whale corpse which has washed up on the West Norfolk coast.

Hundreds of people have been attracted to Old Hunstanton beach to look at the 55ft sperm whale since it was brought in by the tides on Christmas Eve.

But in the five days since the whale landed, all of its teeth have been removed by some ghoulish visitors. There are also rumours that the lower jaw bone was sliced off in the middle of the night with a chain saw.

Some businesses are reporting an increase in trade since the whale arrived and are receiving phone calls from visitors checking that the corpse is still there.

But calls have been made for the corpse to be removed as it is now starting to smell and traces of blood can be seen in the pools around the body.

The corpse rests on the beach which is owned by the Le Strange estate.

No-one from the estate was available to talk and the Environment Agency said the whale had been reported to them, though they were not dealing with it.

The Lynn News has pictures of a visitor removing teeth, which have been known as sea ivory, from the corpse.

Hunstanton resident Patricia Deacon said it was wrong for the corpse to be desecrated by visitors.

She said on the beach yesterday: “It seems obscene. This is such a magnificent creature. What would anyone want with a jaw bone?”

Sperm whales are generally deep sea creatures but do occasionally visit the North Sea.

Hunstanton Sealife Centre’s Kieran Copeland said that the whale had been dead for sometime and that there was no obvious cause of death.

He believes that the whale had died in the area.

Mr Copeland said: “People are interested in it. It is quite rare that you see something like that alive. It is human nature to be interested.”

Some pubs near Hunstanton beach have reported an increase in trade over the Christmas period due to visitors coming to look at the whale and the warmer weather.

Bob Wyllie, managing director of the Le Strange Arms, said he had received phone calls from visitors checking that the body is still there.

He has also reported an increase in trade of 10 to 15 per cent at the Ancient Mariners Arms pub, but is now calling for the corpse to be removed.

He believes that the lower jaw bone was removed during the early hours of Boxing Day.

Mr Wyllie said: “You can understand people coming to have a look as it is not every day you see a whale.

“I think the size of it is quite amazing but it really wants to be removed and I am trying to find out who is going to move it.

“It is beginning to smell and the ideal place for that is in the middle of The Wash.

“There should be a dignity in death rather than being left on the beach.”

Hunstanton Coastguard investigated on Saturday, measured the creature and it has been reported to the police.

The corpse is believed to have been found in Holbeach last week.

The National History Museum has also been informed.

lynnnews.co.uk

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Dead sperm whale set to be removed from Norfolk beach

1 January 2012

A dead sperm whale washed up on a Norfolk beach is set to be removed next week, council officials have said.

The 55ft (16.7m) whale was found in Old Hunstanton, Norfolk, on Christmas Eve and has become an attraction for tourists.

Health advice has been issued urging people not to touch the corpse or allow dogs to come into contact with it.

It warns shellfish in the area should not be consumed and says water quality could be affected.

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk borough council said a licensed operator would start removal of the whale next week.

The beach will be closed while the operation takes place.

Police are investigating claims a man tried to sell the jaw of the whale, thought to have died from natural causes, on Facebook.

A user of the social networking site claimed he …

bbc.co.uk

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