East Lothian news: Dead whale washes up North Berwick beach after being spotted by boat tour passengers

Huge 15ft whale washes up on the beach near the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick

A dead whale washed up beside the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick on Wednesday, April 19. It’s understood the minke whale was spotted by a boat taking tourists from North Berwick for a trip around the Isle of May. It was identified and tracked by Scottish Seabird Centre staff and a volunteer from Whale and Dolphin Conservation as it drifted east down the Firth of Forth until it washed up on the beach near the Scottish Seabird Centre.

The dead whale is thought to be about 15 feet long and was identified near the mouth of the harbour.

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Readers shared photos showing the whale carcass washed up on the beach on social media. Scottish Seabird Centre staff saw the animal around 2.30pm and reported the carcass to the relevant authorities, and may be able to provide further information.

The minke whale was identified by staff from the Scottish Seabird CentreThe minke whale was identified by staff from the Scottish Seabird Centre
The minke whale was identified by staff from the Scottish Seabird Centre

The Centre confirmed a dead minke whale washed up just off North Berwick harbour was reported to East Lothian Council, harbour authorities and SMASS.

Susan Davies, CEO of the Scottish Seabird Centre said: “We were all sad to see a common minke whale washed onto the rocks below North Berwick harbour today.

"It was first spotted further out near Craigleith island by the skipper of one of our seabird wildlife boat trips.

"Common minke are the smallest of the baleen whales reaching up to 27ft in length. It prefers cooler waters and, if you are lucky, you can spot it around Scotland’s coastal and inshore waters.

The minke whale carcass washed up on the beachThe minke whale carcass washed up on the beach
The minke whale carcass washed up on the beach

"The stranding has been reported to the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) which collates and analyses all reports of stranded cetaceans and can carry out autopsies to understand more about the health and ecology of this fascinating marine animal.”

“Seeing a creature of this scale inevitably sparks curiosity but we advise everyone to keep their distance if they wish to look at it.

“The Scottish Seabird Centre supports a Whale and Dolphin Conservation Shorewatch site in North Berwick harbour.

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"Shorewatch is a network of volunteers trained to monitor whales and dolphins at sites around the Scottish coastline, raising awareness and capturing vital data to protect these amazing species.

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