On the afternoon of Sunday 23rd November 2014, James Glass was informed by
Lewis Glass and Alan Swain (who had just returned after a trip to Stony Hill to mark their calves) that a whale was washed up at Cave Gulch / East Beach at the far east of Deadman's Bay on the south coast of Tristan between Stony Hill and The Caves.
The fisheries RIB Jasus tristani with fisheries staff went to have a
look, as they heard it was still alive the day before. The guys landed
at the Caves and walked across to Stony Beach to have a look,but it was
found dead.
They took some measurements (it was 3.58 metres long) and photos and it has been identified by
Professor Peter Best as a juvenile Antarctic minke whale, Balaenoptera
bonaerensis.
This is an important discovery as it is a new record for a stranding for this species on the Tristan da Cunha Islands.
They did not have time to do anything else as it was getting late,
although it is their intention to make another visit to collect skin
samples as soon as they get a chance.
Many thanks are granted to Lewis and Alan who despite being 65 and 64
years respectively, had walked the approximately 30 mile round trip to
Stony Beach to ear mark their calves, for reporting the finding.
See the Whales Page for a full list and more details of Tristan Whales and Dolphins.
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