PICS: Humpback whale carcass washes up on Umhlanga Beach
Jennifer Olber, a Marine Ecologist for KZN Wildlife, gave us an update and breakdown of the situation that occurred yesterday afternoon on Umhlanga Beach.
Videos and pictures have been doing the rounds showing a whale carcass that washed up on the Umhlanga Beach shore on Sunday afternoon.
Olber explained that the adult humpback whale is 15-metres long. It is the annual whale migration whereby the whales leave the southern ocean and Antarctic waters and travel up the east coast into warmer waters.
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She said these animals normally make their way back to Antarctic waters during October and November. Olber said every year they have between eight to twelve humpback whales which wash ashore. It can be calves which are 3m to 4m or up to 15m.
The cause of death cannot be established. The whale died at sea a couple of days ago. The animal was covered in whale lice, which is an indicator that it wasn't a healthy animal.
eThekwini staff worked through most of the night to clean up the whale carcass. Clean-up operations will continue on Monday.
Check out the pictures here: