On Sunday morning, a dead whale was reported off the Dutch coast. Due to the strong northwest wind, the whale has now washed ashore, according to SOS Dolfijn. The animal will remain lying down until Tuesday and will be guarded.
A team of researchers from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University and Naturalis will investigate the humpback whale. When the research is completed, the animal will be destroyed. Due to the very poor condition of the animal, research will mainly consist of taking samples.
The organization notes that humpback whales in the North Sea are a relatively new phenomenon. In recent years they have been observed more often and for a longer period of time in the Southern North Sea, but the species has actually only been found in the North Sea since this century.
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