Cape Town – The City of Cape Town on Monday towed a humpback whale carcass away from one of its popular beaches to a nearby harbour for disposal.
The City said in a statement that it was alerted to the 15 ton carcass found floating approximately 1.6km off Llandudno Beach on Monday morning and immediately implemented its Stranded Whale Protocol.
“This morning, the Western Cape Government’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP) alerted the City’s Environmental Management Department to the carcass of a humpback whale which was floating approximately 1.6 km off Llandudno Beach.
“To avoid the likelihood of the whale carcass washing ashore during the peak holiday season at a potentially difficult removal area, the City, in consultation with the DEADP, opted to have the approximately nine-metre carcass towed to Hout Bay Harbour where it has been loaded onto a flatbed truck. In accordance with the City’s Standard Whale Protocol, and once the DEADP has completed their sampling, the carcass will be driven to Vissershok landfill site and disposed of.”
Gregg Oelofse from the City’s Environmental Management Department said the cause of death at this stage was unknown but that it was likely to be from a ship strike.
The carcass was towed by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) to Hout Bay harbour, from where it would be transported via Constantia Nek to the City’s specialised landfill site in Vissershok.
The City apologised in advance for any inconvenience that motorists may experience due to the transportation process.
“Motorists and members of the public are urged to give the agencies the space that is required for them to transport the carcass of the humpback whale from Hout Bay Harbour to the landfill site in Vissershok.”