A wildlife ranger says the discovery of a beached whale on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island is a “peculiar” occurrence.
National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia ranger Tony Sandeman told ABC Radio Adelaide on Monday the creature, discovered at American River on the eastern end of the island, “appeared to be a beaked whale of some sort”.
He added it was rare for the deep-sea animal to turn up where it did, but was likely the result of a “natural process”.
“That in itself suggests something … else was going on with this animal,” Mr Sandeman said.
“It’s not typically known to be in shallow coastal waters of Kangaroo Island or around Australia.
“It is peculiar … it’s more of an elusive deep-water animal, so it’s not commonly seen here which suggests it must have been washed up … and may have been unwell.”
Residents report seeing whale in area days before breach
American River resident Tim Williams said others in the area had reportedly seen the whale in the days before it beached itself “quietly swimming around”.
“It was quite unusual for a whale to be swimming in there and they said, with their limited knowledge, it looked ‘aged and marked, and possibly had come in to die’,” he said.
Mr Williams added that it was “not uncommon” for dolphins to become beached on that stretch of river.
While Mr Sandeman said he was confident it was a beaked whale, it was difficult to confirm without further assessment by SA Museum researchers.
“The museum often or sometimes does take carcasses for scientific purposes and interest to understand what is occurring. We’ll engage them to see if they want this carcass,” he said.
If researchers do not take the carcass, Mr Sandeman said his department would wait to see if it needed to be moved if the tide did not take it.
A National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia spokesperson confirmed the department was currently assessing what to do with the remains, a job made more difficult by the location only being accessible by boat.
“We encourage anyone who discovers a dead, sick or stranded marine mammal to contact their local National Parks and Wildlife Service office or marine wildlife rescue organisation,” the spokesperson added.
“The public is reminded not to interfere with marine mammals, which can carry infectious diseases that can pass between themselves, humans, and their pets.”