A six-metre humpback whale has washed up dead on a beach on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, with the cause of death still unknown.
Reports of the carcass floating between Point Cartwright and Mudjimba reached Sunshine Coast Council at about 4pm on Tuesday. Crews tracked it as it drifted towards the northern end of Mooloolaba before it came ashore at Alexandra Headland.
The council established an exclusion zone on the beach, with a spokesman saying teams had “quickly mobilised to create an exclusion zone at the beach for public safety”.
The whale was removed at first light on Wednesday and towed 20 nautical miles out to sea. Samples and measurements were collected for submission to the authorities for research, along with a standings report.
Researchers also tested the carcass for H5 bird flu and other illnesses, but have not determined why the juvenile humpback died.
A GPS tracker was attached to the whale to monitor its movements, with the data expected to assist with future carcass management.
Sunshine Coast Council urged anyone who finds a stranded whale or other marine mammal, whether alive or dead, to report it to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
“If you see a stranded marine mammal, like a whale, it’s natural to want to rush in and help. But for the safety of yourself and the animal, please keep your distance and report it,” the council said.
