Dead humpback whale near Zahara de los Atunes

by firmm Team

Last Friday we found out by coincidence about a humpback whale carcass, which was washed ashore near Zahara de los Atunes (ca. 40km away from Tarifa towards Cadiz). After assuring ourselves that the dead animal was still there, we went to Zahara in the late afternoon to see the animal. The participants of this week's course joined us.

After arriving in Zahara, we found the carcass on the beach near the post of the Guardia Civil. The male pup with a size of approximately 8 meters lay on its back in the surge zone. The exact circumstances leading to its death could not be determined. On the one hand because of the already advanced decay and on the other hand because the carcass lay on its back and therefore noticeable injuries in this area could not be detected. In the case of our learning more about the cause of death we will inform you.

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Picture above: the dead humpback whale lying on its back in the surge zone.

Picture below: both biologists from firmm®
Michael Casanova (left side) and Jörn Selling (right side) are looking at the dead animal.

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Picture above: the black neoprene-like skin is peeling away from the tissue below because of the decay condition.

Picture below: a whale-louse. This crustaceans live on whales and feed on dead skin and algae .

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-casi-

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