A young whale has been found washed up on a beach in the Gower, marking the first recorded sighting of its kind in the area.
The long-finned pilot whale, believed to be less than a year old, was discovered stranded in the shallows at Llangennith Beach on Monday afternoon, 1 September. Despite the best efforts of local residents to keep the animal alive, it sadly died before rescuers could reach the scene.
Coastguard volunteer Mark Button was among those called to the incident. He said: “We got paged to say that people had found a whale on the beach and we went to investigate. Three or four people noticed it in the swell and the tide was dropping back. Apparently four people tried to keep it alive by splashing water over it but sadly it passed before we got there.”
Mr Button explained that while dolphins and basking sharks are often spotted around the Gower coast, he had never seen – nor heard of – a long-finned pilot whale in local waters.
The whale’s body was later collected by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and will undergo a post-mortem examination. A BDMLR spokesperson confirmed: “We received a call regarding a whale stranding at Rhossili and dispatched BDMLR Marine Mammal Medics to the scene. Reports indicated that members of the public had attempted to refloat the animal back into the sea; however, further information confirmed that the whale had sadly died. As a result, BDMLR Medics were stood down, and our Area Coordinator attended alongside Marine Environmental Monitoring to secure the carcass for a post mortem examination. The whale was identified as a juvenile pilot whale.”
Long-finned pilot whales are typically found in the North Atlantic Ocean. Adults can grow between 6 and 7.6 metres in length, weighing up to 4,500kg. They are highly social animals, often travelling in pods led by mothers and their young, and are known for their inquisitive and loyal nature.
Mr Button warned that because of this strong social bond, other whales may attempt to follow the deceased animal towards the shore. He urged anyone in the area to remain vigilant and to report any further sightings immediately.
Anyone who comes across a stranded or distressed marine creature is asked to contact the cetacean rescue team on 01825 765546.
