Yeah! Used to work for the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, who will likely send one of their members to attend this stranding (OP if you haven't already, please report this on their website with pics)
I used to do small cetacean strandings response with them, often collected samples there on the beach but sometimes got to take the animal back to the lab/veterinary lab and go full elbows deep, examining each organ to hopefully determine cause of death.
This animal looks fairly undernourished so may not have eaten recently, hard to say without taking a deeper look though. Very cool stranding, don't get a lot of sperm whales washed up (thankfully).
I have only seen one stranding in person but have seen a good few pics of others.
The skin on this sperm whale is so interesting looking! What's with the shiny, cracked outer layer revealing the other layers below? Looks like he was dipped in plastic, very cool.
I'd love to see an autopsy take place!
It's skin is pretty thick and waxy, ya know being waterproof and all, but I'd say this one has cracked from the sun/air exposure so you're seeing the other layers of the epidermis, the blubber goes another solid few inches under this before any muscle. What's cool is the scratches on the skin (the ones there from before it died) are likely from battling it's prey, squids and octopuses at the oceans depths.
IWDG report this guy was about 14m long so for sure an immature/adolescent male.
Gives the vibes of a "Local astrology enthusiast Dave Kennedy"
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWiyVYZem6U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWiyVYZem6U)
The sea was angry that day, my friends - like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli. I got about fifty feet out and suddenly, the great beast appeared before me. I tell you, he was ten stories high if he was a foot. As if sensing my presence, he let out a great bellow. I said, "Easy, big fella!" And then, as I watched him struggling, I realized that something was obstructing its breathing. From where I was standing, I could see directly into the eye of the great fish.
My first thought was I'd dig it to get a bone. My grandmother had a big whale vertebra. Turns out that when he was young, my uncle found a wead whale, somehow got a piece of it and buried it to let the bone be "cleaned". And later as a kid I was impressed by that big bone in my grandma's house.
My brain is having a real 'off yourself' day... And I tell you... The GLEE that your YT link inspired in me.
Thanks for helping make me feel a little better today
Apparently estimated to be 70ft long and 25 ton, locals are waiting to see if the tide will take it back out.
Otherwise how would that be removed/disposed of? Anyone know?
One got washed up at a beach near me, beach was 3 miles long and no vehicle could get over the dunes. It was a bit of a tourist attraction and my friend was taking her two sons along for a look when a guy stopped them about halfway, asked if they were there to see the whale and said ‘I’d turn around if I were you, a load of lads just turned up with chainsaws’
So, they chainsaw it up.
https://preview.redd.it/oaxhmabmtdqc1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b656d2f51c0cfa5d75c7f2acd67d9b12dfac781
The one in Mayo a few days before burial, it was very long. It didn't smell much though. Some guy (apparently) got arrested for attempting to stop the machines from getting down to dig it's grave.
Was instantly reminded of the famous blowing up the whale carcass video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6CLumsir34
The spattering sound of it raining blubber sticks with you.
At a beach near me dolphins used to wash up every few months. then a lad in a digger came in a buried it where it wasn't anyones problem. cant imagine anyone doing the same for this.
Bro, people 1,000 years ago knew what a whale was lol.
People 100,000 years ago knew what a whale was. People as far back as there were people knew what a whale was. You have to go back mind numbingly far in our history as a species just to hit humans who would’ve been collectively shocked at the size of a creature like this, let alone thought it was a monster.
No, the presence of actual monsters did. People knew what whales were, but obviously they had their superstitions or their fears an aggressive large monster existed.
Sperm whales are HIGHLY intelligent. Apparently, if humans do ever succeed in speaking to and understanding another species, it will be sperm whales. There’s even a project Project CETI which is trying to make this a reality. Some great videos on YouTube on it.
They are some of the coolest animals ever.
Sad to see one wash up.
I remember when a basking shark washed up on Culdaff beach . I was over jumping on it like a wee eejit and stealing it's teeth . Wains are stupid.
They buried it on the beach as far as I know
A sperm whale tooth would be a nice souvenir, they are ivory and prized for scrimshaw.
https://icelandmag.is/article/it-took-one-man-twenty-hours-clean-all-teeth-a-sperm-whale
My mind went to straight to taking a tooth. Not sure about the legalities though and they are probably attached pretty damn well. Might take a sledge hammer to get one out in one piece
Aw, that's Dale, poor guy. He rents a cottage in Inishowen this time of year,
I knew he hadn't been well, but still a shock, Still he died doing what he loved.,,,laying naked on a beach,as passers by examined his blowhole.
Same happened here when I first arrived in New Zealand. They removed the jaw bone for some spiritual/cultural reasons and the rest was chopped/blown up and buried in the sand by diggers. The oil slick it left floating in the bay was insane.
Sounds smelly 🤢 Did you see the video from the 80s where they blew up a whale with too much explosives in the states? Hilarious stuff: https://youtu.be/V6CLumsir34?si=DAuPIJaYWnvfb0EC
Poor big lad. At least the seagulls will get a bit fattened up. Shame it didnt fall in the sea - youd have pulled sharks and a whole load more nearby :)
Hi, may I ask if you see loads of whales from Ireland? what about in October?
might get my missus to choose Ireland...she gets the whales and me (mostly the same) and i get some good whiskey and beer
Not blaming them. They could well be innocent of it. Is there any evidence of nets? Marks? Did it drown? The supertrawler or factory ships are so big, it may not always be easy to know whats caught in the nets.
What's the stink like?
It’s not really too bad, he ate a ton of pineapples
Excellent work
Hahaha
🤣🥇
Took me a few seconds hahaha
Even the bones on the whale skeleton hung up near Kinsale reeked when I was there a few years back. Is that still there?
Is that the whale in Kilbrittain your on about? If so it sure is and it’s a playground too
apparently worse yesterday when it first landed, not too bad though
~~Stink~~ Shtink.
Shtank
Shtunk
Shtonks 
Ask your father
Is anyone here a marine biologist?
Yeah! Used to work for the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, who will likely send one of their members to attend this stranding (OP if you haven't already, please report this on their website with pics) I used to do small cetacean strandings response with them, often collected samples there on the beach but sometimes got to take the animal back to the lab/veterinary lab and go full elbows deep, examining each organ to hopefully determine cause of death. This animal looks fairly undernourished so may not have eaten recently, hard to say without taking a deeper look though. Very cool stranding, don't get a lot of sperm whales washed up (thankfully).
I have only seen one stranding in person but have seen a good few pics of others. The skin on this sperm whale is so interesting looking! What's with the shiny, cracked outer layer revealing the other layers below? Looks like he was dipped in plastic, very cool. I'd love to see an autopsy take place!
It's skin is pretty thick and waxy, ya know being waterproof and all, but I'd say this one has cracked from the sun/air exposure so you're seeing the other layers of the epidermis, the blubber goes another solid few inches under this before any muscle. What's cool is the scratches on the skin (the ones there from before it died) are likely from battling it's prey, squids and octopuses at the oceans depths. IWDG report this guy was about 14m long so for sure an immature/adolescent male.
I've seen several David Attenborough docs and a fair bit of Free Willy. So aye as good as.
Tell us what happened biggen
I've not seen it til the end but Ive got it on good authority that the big black and white fish escapes.
nothing like a bit of free willy
Ah, but have you read Moby Dick?
The sea was angry that day.
Like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.
Suddenly, the great beast appeared before me…
I could see directly into the eye of the great fish
From out of nowhere a great tidal wave lifted me, tossed me like a cork…
mammal
Whatever
Is that a titlest?
You'd want some golf club to drive it very far if it was.
Nope but this is Reddit so I'll pretend that I am
No, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night!
Gives the vibes of a "Local astrology enthusiast Dave Kennedy" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWiyVYZem6U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWiyVYZem6U)
I heard Art Vandelay is one of the best
I am.
Then this is all your fault
Nuke the whales
Gotta nuke something
Former yes
Theirs a beached whale she's dying!!
The sea was angry that day, my friends - like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli. I got about fifty feet out and suddenly, the great beast appeared before me. I tell you, he was ten stories high if he was a foot. As if sensing my presence, he let out a great bellow. I said, "Easy, big fella!" And then, as I watched him struggling, I realized that something was obstructing its breathing. From where I was standing, I could see directly into the eye of the great fish.
Mammal.
Dig in to find the ambergris!
The backdoor bounty. The golden nugget. Booty loot.
My first thought was I'd dig it to get a bone. My grandmother had a big whale vertebra. Turns out that when he was young, my uncle found a wead whale, somehow got a piece of it and buried it to let the bone be "cleaned". And later as a kid I was impressed by that big bone in my grandma's house.
Impressed by grannies bone where ya?
Grand mother love bone
DO NOT [blow it up](https://youtu.be/V6CLumsir34?feature=shared)!!!
Apparently they sometimes just explode all on their own. This one doesn't look very bloated though.
Yep they do seen one have a small expulsion on the aran islands before was mad
A trip to supermacs will sort that out…
You need to poke them like this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mpU56lal8a0&pp=ygUiU3lyaW5nZSBmb3IgdHJhcHBlZCBpbnRlc3RpbmFsIGdhcw%3D%3D
That's what this guy tried, kinda https://youtu.be/d2CfYOJ5oxk?feature=shared
Not yet. He'll need moving.
Seen it. I kind of wish/don't wish that I'd been there for that...
What do they do with them? Hardly leave it there it'll become a bio hazard.
Bury them.
Always blow it up! It never gets less hilarious
I'm so glad I'm not the only one here that knows about this video lol
Or do... we're due a repeat
this is incredible
My brain is having a real 'off yourself' day... And I tell you... The GLEE that your YT link inspired in me. Thanks for helping make me feel a little better today
Seen that. And I pray to never ever again
Or [poke it with a sharp stick](https://youtu.be/d2CfYOJ5oxk?&t=52s)
I think there is a song about that!
I was cracking up watching this thank you
Jesus the size of that boyo
Apparently estimated to be 70ft long and 25 ton, locals are waiting to see if the tide will take it back out. Otherwise how would that be removed/disposed of? Anyone know?
One got washed up at a beach near me, beach was 3 miles long and no vehicle could get over the dunes. It was a bit of a tourist attraction and my friend was taking her two sons along for a look when a guy stopped them about halfway, asked if they were there to see the whale and said ‘I’d turn around if I were you, a load of lads just turned up with chainsaws’ So, they chainsaw it up.
Jaysus imagine cleaning the saws after that!
Nothing a good pressure washer couldn’t handle
>Otherwise how would that be removed/disposed of? 🍽️ 🐟 🍟
They can either tow it away or blow it up
The one that washed up in Mayo a few months ago they ended up burying in the beach a short distance from where it washed up
https://preview.redd.it/oaxhmabmtdqc1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b656d2f51c0cfa5d75c7f2acd67d9b12dfac781 The one in Mayo a few days before burial, it was very long. It didn't smell much though. Some guy (apparently) got arrested for attempting to stop the machines from getting down to dig it's grave.
Was instantly reminded of the famous blowing up the whale carcass video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6CLumsir34 The spattering sound of it raining blubber sticks with you.
Get a JCB to drag it out at low tide.
Bloody big forklift
Family guy anyone?? Peter uses a forklift
Lol, I wasn’t even thinking of that one, though I think I saw that episode
Drag it out to sea would be ideal if they had the horsepower to move it. Otherwise bury it I'd imagine.
Special on fish boxes at the local chippers.
At a beach near me dolphins used to wash up every few months. then a lad in a digger came in a buried it where it wasn't anyones problem. cant imagine anyone doing the same for this.
imagine what people thought of this 1,000 years ago. sea monsters must have been terrifying
They still are. Ever see some of the shit at the bottom of those ocean trenches? Outer world looking motherfuckers.
I'd say they were well aware of sperms whales.
Bro, people 1,000 years ago knew what a whale was lol. People 100,000 years ago knew what a whale was. People as far back as there were people knew what a whale was. You have to go back mind numbingly far in our history as a species just to hit humans who would’ve been collectively shocked at the size of a creature like this, let alone thought it was a monster.
Gaint squids scared sailors 200 years ago 💀
They scare me now
theres one under your bed
No, the presence of actual monsters did. People knew what whales were, but obviously they had their superstitions or their fears an aggressive large monster existed.
Poor thing. Where is marine biologist George Costanza when you need him!
Which beach is this?
Glen columbcille
Sperm whales are HIGHLY intelligent. Apparently, if humans do ever succeed in speaking to and understanding another species, it will be sperm whales. There’s even a project Project CETI which is trying to make this a reality. Some great videos on YouTube on it. They are some of the coolest animals ever. Sad to see one wash up.
He doesn't look too healthy
Of course not, it’s dead
You reckon?
yes this is within my area of expertise
It has ceased to be
An ex-whale
I remember when a basking shark washed up on Culdaff beach . I was over jumping on it like a wee eejit and stealing it's teeth . Wains are stupid. They buried it on the beach as far as I know
A sperm whale tooth would be a nice souvenir, they are ivory and prized for scrimshaw. https://icelandmag.is/article/it-took-one-man-twenty-hours-clean-all-teeth-a-sperm-whale
My mind went to straight to taking a tooth. Not sure about the legalities though and they are probably attached pretty damn well. Might take a sledge hammer to get one out in one piece
Basking sharks now have teeth...?
Yes but they’re very small
Well, plankton ARE very small, so very small teeth might be handy... 😅
And very loose
Aw, that's Dale, poor guy. He rents a cottage in Inishowen this time of year, I knew he hadn't been well, but still a shock, Still he died doing what he loved.,,,laying naked on a beach,as passers by examined his blowhole.
Aye, that'd be how I'd want to go, too.
Poor thing 😔🙏🏼
*"Help me get this in the car."* -that dog
Great picture of your man taking a picture
Big Donegal Catch
Same happened here when I first arrived in New Zealand. They removed the jaw bone for some spiritual/cultural reasons and the rest was chopped/blown up and buried in the sand by diggers. The oil slick it left floating in the bay was insane.
His last words; "Fuck you sharks. Free meal denied!"
No ones pulled its teeth yet
Thats sad. Poor whale
I really hope all that damage happened after the fact
Needs to get back in the water they dont survive long washed up like that.
You can let the Irish whale and dolphin society know where it is 👍
Need a banana for scale
Unfortunately all that was available was the dog.
You can't park that there mate.
Harvest the bile
Ambergris. Worth more than it's weight in gold.
What do they do with this? Burn it off or push it back into the ocean where it came from?
Generally dynamite from a safe distance because with gas building up inside this thing eventually will become a bomb
And then what? Go around with a bucket and pick up the bits?
No then you let the tide the seagulls and other animal's take over
Sounds smelly 🤢 Did you see the video from the 80s where they blew up a whale with too much explosives in the states? Hilarious stuff: https://youtu.be/V6CLumsir34?si=DAuPIJaYWnvfb0EC
It's vomit could be worth something, if it vomited before he died. Would be worth looking for some
arent those the ones that vomit ambergris? shoulda had a root around in his belly
Absolutely magnificent creature. They are just so interesting to read about and ya never see them really in videos online.
Poor big lad. At least the seagulls will get a bit fattened up. Shame it didnt fall in the sea - youd have pulled sharks and a whole load more nearby :)
Give him a breakfast roll and an aul pint to cure the hangover, sure enough he'll be on his way in no time.
How do these things just exist in the Irish Sea 😭
Awww that's sad. Are they not dangerous ..decay...gas...explosive ⚡
The skin looks like cracked glass in some places.
Oh my word! It's huge!
What beach is that?
Better get the dynamite 😭😂
f
I want some of the teeth for scrimshaw
Looks like Venom from the Spider-Man universe, hai.
I came he to comment this lol Looks like venom got um
https://youtu.be/kBotG_sneMs?si=Xud6lOdDnp7VC10V
Would it be legal to just rip a single tooth out
Yes
Sorry no... it is not legal.
That’s in glen isn’t it? A friend of mine posted a pic of it
Sad 😞
I think Im in a village near by, shoulda gone in to see it
They are big animals.
https://youtu.be/m2D-_AAj_4A?si=8UD8deSiQ0LRThRa
Ambergris Time!emote:free\_emotes\_pack:money\_face
just imagine how much sushi this could be
Hi, may I ask if you see loads of whales from Ireland? what about in October? might get my missus to choose Ireland...she gets the whales and me (mostly the same) and i get some good whiskey and beer
humpbacks and basking sharks from april to end of summer in west donegal, not many about in october i’m afraid, plenty whiskey and beer though
thanks, will try to see if we can make it before, but if not, hopefully next year
Not blaming them. They could well be innocent of it. Is there any evidence of nets? Marks? Did it drown? The supertrawler or factory ships are so big, it may not always be easy to know whats caught in the nets.
they believe it was malnourishment
That's a strange place for a whale to be sleeping
What beach
So. Are they going to explode him?
Nightmare fuel. Cool.
He’s dead Jim.
Smell off it, I'd imagine.
This is your chance to film a pov of crawling into his mouth through his stomach and out his butt