UPDATE: Dead whale now ashore and public urged to stay away
A DEAD minke whale has been spotted near North Berwick Harbour this afternoon.
The animal was seen at about 2.30pm by staff at the Scottish Seabird Centre, who posted images of the animal on the centre's Facebook page.
The minke whale is a species of baleen whale that's range extends throughout the Scottish coastline.
The dead whale is thought to be about 15 feet long and was identified near the mouth of the harbour.
As it is at high tide, it remains unknown if the animal will wash up on the beach or whether it will be taken back out to sea.
The whale has been reported to Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS), East Lothian Council and harbour authorities.
Susan Davies, CEO of the Scottish Seabird Centre said: “We were all sad to see a common minke whale washed onto the rocks below North Berwick harbour today.
"It was first spotted further out near Craigleith island by the skipper of one of our seabird wildlife boat trips.
"Common minke are the smallest of the baleen whales reaching up to 27ft in length. It prefers cooler waters and, if you are lucky, you can spot it around Scotland’s coastal and inshore waters.
"The stranding has been reported to the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) which collates and analyses all reports of stranded cetaceans and can carry out autopsies to understand more about the health and ecology of this fascinating marine animal.”
“Seeing a creature of this scale inevitably sparks curiosity but we advise everyone to keep their distance if they wish to look at it.
“The Scottish Seabird Centre supports a Whale and Dolphin Conservation Shorewatch site in North Berwick harbour.
"Shorewatch is a network of volunteers trained to monitor whales and dolphins at sites around the Scottish coastline, raising awareness and capturing vital data to protect these amazing species.
"People in East Lothian who are interested in becoming a Shorewatch volunteer can find out more about upcoming training opportunities via our website or by contacting WDC.”
East Lothian Council has advised people not to approach the whale.
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