A huge whale has washed up on the beach in a busy seaside town. The 10-metre sperm whale came ashore earlier today (Friday, April 7) with members of the Coastguard sent to the scene.
Witnesses reported seeing the whale just off the North Promenade in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, with it being visible from the end of the pier, GrimsbyLive reports. The whale is said to be quite a way out from the promenade itself, but has been attracting attention from members of the public.
Teams were reportedly called to the news of a whale on the beach at around 12.30pm. Divers worked alongside beach safety to assess the situation and make sure members of the public stayed away from the sea creature.
GrimsbyLive said those at the scene stated that, with the tide coming in and the size of the whale, there was "not much they can do". A co-ordinator was due to arrive to make a decision on what the next steps will be.
The charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) says sperm whales are the largest toothed whales in the world. "Sperm whales are found throughout the world’s oceans, preferring deep water," the charity says.
"As a result they are seldom found close to land though Kaikoura off New Zealand’s South Island is one exception. Island chains such as the Azores and Galapagos are also home to sperm whales, though overall numbers are just a fragment of an original population decimated by centuries of whaling."
They eat squid, octopus, fish, crustaceans and sharks. "Spending much of their lives hunting in the deep for their prey, sperm whales can dive to depths of up to 3km and hold their breath for an incredible two hours," WDC says.
