SEDGEFIELD NEWS - On Thursday, November 12, Cape Nature issued a warning of a decaying whale carcass floating off Swartvlei Beach, Sedgefield. They reported that three large sharks were seen feeding off the carcass and warned bathers, surfers, paddlers and spear fishermen in the area to exercise caution when entering the water.
The following day (November 13), the decomposed whale carcass washed up at the Swartvlei Beach next to the parking lot.
The SANParks marine ranger for the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park Jonathan Britton and scientists spent Friday planning the best way to bury the whale on Saturday, November 14.
Britton oversaw the burial of the whale the following day when a massive hole was dug on the Swatvlei Beach away from the high-water mark.
"The hole was dug deep to ensure the whale doesn’t resurface under any circumstances," he explained. Several onlookers queried why the whale was not being left for nature to "take its course".
Britton responded: "It could be left to rot. A carcass of a whale can provide important nutrients to other animals feeding from it (such as small micro-invertebrates and birds such as seagulls), only if it was not lying in a public space."
According to Britton in all the options considered, including removing the carcass elsewhere (to a landfill site), public health was the major determinating factor. "There are other whales that have washed out in remote areas that are not open to members of the public and were left to decompose naturally."
SANParks scientists, working with Cape Nature and the Knysna Municipality’s Disaster Management Division, could not identify the whale species due to the severity of the decomposition. Specimen of the carcass were taken to Bayworld in Port Elizabeth for further tests to primarily identify the type of whale, its age and possibly the cause of its death.
With a mighty push a piece of the whale carcass edges towards its massive burial hole. Young Faizal Hennies stands alongside the hole, watching his father, Jan pushing the remains of the whale into the hole. Photos: Fran Kirsten.
Click here for previous articles:
- Update: Whale carcass washes up
- Whale carcass washes up at Swartvlei
- Whale carcass floating off Swartvlei beach
A portion of the whale carcass that washed ashore at Swartvlei Beach on Friday, November 13, waits to be transported. Bayworld, Port Elizabeth is currently doing tests to determine the whale's species, age and possibly the cause of death.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: FRAN KIRSTEN
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