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PICS: 9-ton whale carcass safely removed from Cape beach

Cape Town - The City of Cape Town confirmed a small Southern Right whale carcass, which washed ashore by the rocks in Bantry Bay, Cape Town on Sunday morning, 14 February 2016, has been successfully removed.  

                

National Sea Rescue Institute Table Bay duty crew towed the whale carcass from Saunders Rocks, Bantry Bay, to Granger Bay for disposal. 

"It is being towed to the Oceana Power Boat Club from where it will be transported by the City’s Solid Waste Management Department to its Vissershok Landfill site, as per the standard protocol," the City said.

"The sea rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom and Rotary Endeavor were launched and on arrival on the scene a towline was attached to the whale carcass at low tide," the NSRI said.

"During the high tide swell, the whale carcass was towed off the rocks successfully. This is a Southern Right juvenile male, 8.5 meters in length and approximately 8 to 9 tons. Samples were taken by the Department of Environmental Affairs – Oceans and Coasts," the NSRI said. 

The City of Cape Town said it wished to thank the National Sea Rescue Institute of South Africa who had helped to remove the carcass.  

Late last year there were two other incidences of whales beaching. The first was at Strand when beachgoers watched as bulldozers slowly dragged a 14m humpback whale carcass out of the water.  The second occurred days later when the carcass of another humpback whale  washed up onto the shore at Kommetjie. 

ALSO SEE: PICS: Another whale carcass washes up on Cape Town beach




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