It is not the first time a whale has washed ashore near Ardersier, as this image from January 2020 illustrates.
Environmental health officers have been coordinating the disposal of a sperm whale after it washed ashore near Ardersier.
The 49ft whale died on Tuesday after stranding close to the Highland village.
Marine specialists from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue were on hand throughout the day on Tuesday alongside HM Coastguard after the alarm was raised around 10am.
As daylight rose, teams descended on the shores for a second day to help move the 20 tonne whale further away from the village.
A post-mortem was then carried out by Inverness-based Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme (SMASS), part of Scotland’s Rural College, to establish the cause of death.
Alan Yates, Environmental Health Manager, said ”The Council has a duty to dispose of carcasses resulting from whale strandings, and careful consideration in this case required to be given to the disposal options due to the close proximity of Ardersier village. The Council are grateful to the local farmer for their cooperation and assistance in disposing of the whale and to the contractors who did a great job of moving and burying the whale in difficult circumstances.”
Highland Council assist in clearing up beached sperm whale in Ardersier
