A 12-metre humpback whale weighing up to 40 tonnes has washed up on the beach near Margaret River prompting a shark warning.
The Department of Parks and Wildlife will remove the whale carcass that washed up on Honeycombs beach in Leeuwin-Naturaliste national park in the WA’s south-west.
The whale, which is estimated to weigh 30 to 40 tonnes, is likely to have died in the past few days at sea and washed ashore.
“Because it is a popular surf location, the decomposing whale could attract sharks to the area, therefore we have decided to remove the animal in the interests of public safety,” Parks and Wildlife Ngari Capes Marine Park co-ordinator Matthew Dasey said.
The beach has been closed and people have been urged not to enter the water. The carcass will be taken to a landfill facility.
There have been a spate of sharks spotted on Perth’s northern beaches in the last week, including five sharks that were more than three-metres long.
Last month, there were two fatal shark attacks off Perth’s coast. Ben Gerring was attacked while surfing near Mandurah and Edith Cowan University nursing and midwifery lecturer Doreen Ann Collyer was mauled while diving 1km off Mindarie, in Perth’s north.