On Thursday 27 November, BDMLR Marine Mammal Medics responded to a late night stranding report in Trearddur Bay, Wales, involving a live-stranded small whale.
The female cetacean, measuring 1.7m long, was located on the shoreline with support from the Coastguard who provided lighting and safety cover. The animal was assessed on scene by BDMLR Medics, who provided welfare support keeping the animal upright and hydrated, while two vets were en route. Careful ID assessment confirmed the animal to be a pygmy sperm whale, a rarely recorded species typically only seen in deep waters in temperate to tropical seas. There are less than 20 records of this species in the UK.
Unfortunately the young animal had significant injuries across the head, body, fins and tail stock consistent with live stranding on to a sharp reef bed, as well as possible rake mark injuries from another marine animal. Her size indicated she was potentially still a maternally dependent calf, or recently weaned, but evidently not doing well on her own.
To date, no pygmy sperm whales in the UK and Ireland have been known to be successfully refloated, as they are often already in poor health when found. This may be linked to them being found far outside their normal habitat where their specialist food sources would be harder to find, as well as pre-existing health issues such as disease or injury causing severe health decline resulting in stranding. With these factors in mind and in expert consultation from a marine mammal veterinary surgeon, based on the evidence of her health status the decision was made that the kindest outcome was to euthanise the whale to stop further suffering.
Although the outcome was heartbreaking for the team, this unexpected and rare stranding provides a significant opportunity to understand the individual’s short life history and to collect fresh biological and genetic samples which will contribute towards a better understanding of the species’ biology, health and the threats they face in the wild. A full necropsy will be carried out by the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme and Marine Environmental Monitoring.
BDMLR would like to extend their gratitude to the members of the public who quickly reported the stranding, to the attending vets from Bodrwnsiwn Veterinary Clinics, Ricardo and Mia, and the Rhosneigr and Holyhead Coastguard rescue officers who provided invaluable assistance to our Medics throughout the entire incident.
All teams responded swiftly, working together into the early hours of the morning in cold and windy conditions to ensure the young animal received appropriate and compassionate care at all times. Their coordinated efforts and calm approach reflected the high standards of professionalism maintained in stranding incidents.
Pygmy sperm whales are a toothed whale species with adults reaching up to 3.5m in length, though despite their name they are not true sperm whales. One of their most remarkable defense mechanisms is the ability to release ink like fluid from their gut, similar to squids. The species is extremely difficult to study in the wild as it is rarely encountered.
Photographs by Marine Mammal Medics Gilly P and Hannah A