A sperm whale washed ashore on Friday afternoon, on Armona Island, in Olhão, but sadly died a few hours after authorites reached the scene.
Measuring 15 metres long and weighing approximately 14 tonnes, “the animal was in an evident state of weakness,” said the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) in a statement.
The cause of death will be determined after an assessment by the team of biologists from the Algarve Stranding Network (RAAlg), who are currently on the ground collecting data and samples for analysis, but the initial analysis carried out on site was that despite being alive when it washed up, the sperm whale, or physeter macrocephalus, was in a “very weak physical condition and extremely thin.”
The Stranding Network is a monitoring and response system, coordinated locally by the Center for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) of the University of Algarve, for strandings of cetaceans and other marine animals that covers the entire Portuguese mainland coast, coordinated by the ICNF with funding from the Environmental Fund.
RAAlg, in conjunction with ICNF, Olhão City Council and the Maritime Authority of the Port of Olhão, is coordinating the operation to remove the animal from Armona Island.
Source https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/ - photo by ICNF
