Overview

• Researchers identified the remains on Cefn Sidan Beach in Pembrey, Carmarthenshire, as a very large fin whale measuring roughly 70ft (21m).
• Preliminary checks indicate the animal was likely female, with the head measuring over 16ft long and about 8ft across.
• The Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme has recovered the carcass for a full post-mortem as the cause of death remains undetermined.
• Experts reported advanced decomposition and signs of shark scavenging, complicating efforts to establish how the whale died.
• Local officials urged the public to avoid contact for health and safety reasons, while researchers noted fin whales remain uncommon visitors to Welsh waters despite more frequent sightings offshore.