Lonely death of a gentle giant who washed up on an English beach


Stretched out on the sand beneath scudding clouds, the majesty of this 44ft sperm whale cannot be denied.

Frantic efforts were made to save the 20-ton creature after the gentle giant became stranded on Redcar beach but to no avail.



Lost and disorientated it had headed towards the shore where it beached itself shortly after dawn.



Tragic: Volunteers try to save the 44ft sperm whale, which eventually died after it became washed up on Redcar beach in Cleveland

The 20-ton Leviathan could not be rescued or dragged back towards the sea. Rescuers said any attempt to refloat it would have been cruel

Richard Ilderton, of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who was called to the stricken creature, said the North Sea was the wrong environment for such a large creature, and any attempt to refloat it - even if it was possible - would have been cruel.



The partially-submerged whale was pronounced dead shortly after 9am, despite firefighters keeping it wet with a jet.

An incongruous sight for a beach in the North-East. On the skyline a container ship and on the beach a crowd gawping at a stricken whale

Cameras at the ready familes walk around the magnificent creature which rescuers believe beached after becoming lost in the North Sea

Mr Ilderton said: 'While we have whales in the North Sea, it is not a suitable environment for a sperm whale because the food supply is not there.



'It doesn't eat, it becomes malnourished, it becomes dehydrated because whales do not drink - they get their liquid from their food.

It is only when you get up close that the full majesty of the whale becomes apparent

Its body glistening in the morning sun beneath a clear blue sky the whale dehydrated because there is no food supply for it in the North Sea





'It can cause all sorts of health problems and ultimately results in something like this happening.'



He said rescuers can refloat whales of up to five tonnes, but this specimen was four times heavier.



'If we were able to put the animal back out to sea, all we would be doing is putting it back out to starve, which is massively cruel and against what we want to do.



'Although it has died, this has been the better option.'



Hundreds of people came down to the beach to take in the spectacle.



Martin Unne, 58, from Thirsk in North Yorkshire, was among the many enjoying the half-term sunshine who came to see the whale after hearing about its plight on the radio.



'This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,' he said.



'It would be more interesting if it were still alive, so it is sad it is not.



'Nature is amazing.'



Steve Goldswain, responsible on Redcar and Cleveland Council for community protection, said cordons were put up as it could be a health hazard.



The whale will remain on the beach overnight, watched by security guards, before a post-mortem examination is carried out by zoologists tomorrow.



As well as the police, council, firefighters and rescue divers, the RSPCA and Coastguard were involved.

Mr Goldswain said: 'From an environmental perspective, we need to keep the beaches clear.



'Obviously a dead animal poses some health risks to the community and we need to minimise that risk.'