30-ton whale carcasses in England attract spectators

A 30-tonne fin whale that washed up on England’s North Sea coast and died is causing logistical problems for authorities.

The British news agency PA reported on Thursday that they wanted to avoid cutting up the 17-meter-long animal on the beach, but that it would have to be transported in one piece. The whale that washed ashore on Tuesday, who died a short time later, has since become a “creepy tourist attraction”. Entire families traveled to the beach in the Yorkshire township of Bridlington to take selfies. Authorities urged people to stay away from the animal.

“We will be working with contracted companies in the coming days to try to remove the entire whale from the beach and we are working with zoological experts to determine the reason for this sad event,” a council spokesman said.

According to experts, fin whales are rarely sighted in the North Sea. They usually stay in deeper waters. It wasn’t until early April that a dead sperm whale washed up on the North Sea coast near Grimbsby, in County Lincolnshire, a little further south. (sda/dpa)