A dead beaked whale calf washed ashore this morning near Tungulending, just north of Húsavík. Staff from the Húsavík Whale Museum were called to the site to inspect the animal, which measured just over three meters in length and appears to be a female.
Adult beaked whales can grow up to 10 meters, but the species is considered relatively uncommon in Skjálfandi Bay. Garðar Þröstur Einarsson of the Húsavík Whale Museum noted that local whale watching guides had recently reported seeing a pod of the species, with one calf appearing injured. That calf was last observed on September 1.
“This one seems to have been dead for one to two weeks, so the timing fits,” Garðar told RÚV.
The next steps will include collecting tissue samples for the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute and taking precise measurements of the animal.
This marks the second whale carcass examined in the area in recent days. Last week, a dead humpback nicknamed Ozzy Osbourne was found near Grenivík. Its remains were later removed by the landowner due to the strong odor.
