A young minke whale washed up dead in Oostende on the Belgian coast on Monday morning. How the animal died is not yet known, but the body will be examined by a researcher.
The body of the minke whale – the smallest of the baleen whale species – was found around 09:00 on Monday morning near the Casino Kursaal on the beach of the popular bathing town Oostende by a walker.
This species can grow up to nine metres long, but the animal that washed ashore was just under three metres long, meaning it was likely only several months old. The minke whale was also very skinny.
Jan Haelters of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences told VRT NWS it is exceptional for such an animal to wash ashore. "It only happens once every four or five years."
Further examination
How or when the animal died is not yet known, but based on an initial examination, it likely had only recently died. According to Haelters, the young animal was probably separated from its mother and ran into trouble finding food. Minke whales are known for their speed, with some populations capable of swimming up to almost 40 km/h.
Researchers will study the remains. Credit: Belga/ Kurt Desplenter
Chief rescuer Jonathan saw the animal floating shortly before it was spotted dead onshore. "Shortly before 9 o'clock I saw a large fish floating," said Devos. "Whether the animal had died by then is not clear. Shortly afterwards it washed ashore and only then did it become clear that there was no life left in it."
The minke whale has been removed from the beach and taken to UGent's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. There, an autopsy will take place on Tuesday to determine the cause of death. Haelters will also examine the animal.
