Read on Twitter
Early start in Withernsea with @Perkins16Mat- sampling and examination of the sperm whales which stranded on Christmas Eve #CSIoftheSea more to follow
Back to the beaches today. Three of five sampled yesterday- with the last two now with @Perkins16Matt and colleagues from @BdmlrYorksLincs and @RSPCA_official #CSIoftheSea
Unfortunately the mandibles have already been removed from both of these #spermwhales. Going to make things more difficult... #CSIoftheSea
Heading back to site again today, hopefully last day at the beaches. Unfortunately it emerged yesterday that the mandibles had been removed from four of the #spermwhales. Very sad... #CSIoftheSea
Further updates on the sperm whale mass stranding event, following our work onsite last week. After discussion with @BdmlrYorksLincs colleagues, we now believe seven sperm whales live stranded around Withernsea on Christmas Eve, not ten as some reports mentioned #CSIoftheSea
Largest #spermwhale mass stranding event documented in England and second largest in the UK over the last century- data on UK strandings recorded by @NHM_London from 1913 and by the CSIP since 1990 #CSIoftheSea
Two bodies disappeared on tides following Christmas Eve stranding. Logistically challenging to examine other bodies and too decomposed to allow meaningful pathological investigation- but able to collect data and samples from all five whales remaining onsite #CSIoftheSea
All juvenile/subadult males between 11m and 13m in length, as with nearly every other UK stranded sperm whale. Wide range of samples collected to help inform research on areas including genetics, contaminants, age and diet #CSIoftheSea
Able to access and examine stomachs in two of the stranded #spermwhales- large quantities of squid beaks but no evidence of recent feeding and no visible plastics or marine debris noted #CSIoftheSea
Deep parallel linear scars across the head of one animal- appearance and location possibly consistent with prior non-fatal vessel interaction? Interesting that even in deep diving offshore species, evidence of our activities and their impacts can still be seen #CSIoftheSea
As a follow on to these updates- another #spermwhale was reported stranded on the Norfolk coast earlier today. Given the condition, possibly one of the animals lost to the tide over Christmas at the mass stranding site #CSIoftheSea
Huge thanks to my CSIP colleague @Perkins16Matt and all who helped last week- especially the amazing teams from @BdmlrYorksLincs and @BDMLR_MIDLANDS, Geoff from @RSPCA_official, the Receiver of Wreck at @MCA_media and the team at @East_Riding #CSIoftheSea
