VIDEO: Beached sperm whale feared dead near Inverness
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A STRANDED sperm whale which beached near Inverness is thought to have died.
The animal was first spotted, on the Moray Firth shore near Ardersier, earlier this morning and witnesses feared the worst as it appeared injured and the tide was going out.
Charlie Phillips, a field officer with Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), has just arrived at the scene and he said he thought the creature was dead because it was not moving.
He said: "It has live stranded on the beach just before you come into the village properly. I think the animal has died."
Mr Phillips said it was not unusual to see sperm whales in these waters but they were usually heading north to their feeding grounds.
He added: "It will need to be handed over to the authorities and taken away. It is very sad but I am afraid that is nature."
As well as members of the WDC officers from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency as well as members of the Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme and British Divers Marine Life Rescue are also on the scene.
In August 2008 an adult sperm whale died after getting stranded at Arturlie Point in the Moray Firth.
Sperm whales are one of the world's deepest diving mammals and males can grow to around 18m, or 59ft, while females are around 12m or 40ft.
