CAPE TOWN – Beachgoers were left surprised on Sunday (15 March) after a beaked whale washed ashore near Eerste Steen in Melkbosstrand, initially mistaken by some for a dolphin.
The carcass was reported to authorities, prompting a response from the City and environmental officials.
According to Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for Spatial Planning and the Environment, Eddie Andrews, the animal was later identified as a beaked whale, a species not often seen close to shore.
Mistaken identity
“The public initially thought it was a dolphin, but it has since been confirmed to be a beaked whale,” Andrews said.
Beaked whales are deep-diving marine mammals that typically inhabit offshore waters, making such sightings along the coastline relatively uncommon.
Officials from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) attended the scene to collect samples from the carcass for further investigation.
The cause of the stranding remains unknown at this stage. The City confirmed that the whale carcass had been scheduled for removal by its Urban Waste Management teams.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid approaching stranded marine animals and to report such incidents to the relevant authorities.
Residents and beachgoers in shock
Jason Smith from Table View said: “At first we thought it was a dolphin. It’s quite shocking to see something like that lying on the beach.”
Lerato Ndlovu from Milnerton said: “It’s very sad. One doesn’t expect to come for a walk and see a whale washed up that way.”
André Visser from Melkbosstrand said: “There were quite a few people stopping to look. It’s not something you see every day.”
Environmentalists said that beaked whales are deep-sea animals, so when one strands it often indicates something has gone wrong, whether natural or human-related. They also said these strandings are important for research.
Growing concern among residents
The discovery has added to growing unease among residents following recent reports of seabird deaths linked to avian influenza at Melkbosstrand, as previously reported by TygerBurger.
Some beachgoers said the combination of incidents had been unsettling, raising concerns about the health of marine and coastal ecosystems.
“It’s quite worrying,” said one resident at the scene. “First the birds, now this; one starts to wonder what’s happening in the ocean.”
