A whale tale

I wrestled with the rights and wrongs of posting up pictures of a dead animal on my blog, because the sight of a dead animal, especially a mammal, will always evoke negative emotions. So I apologise to any readers who might find this post upsetting, but I found the whole experience too interesting to keep it to myself.

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Amongst the many and varied natural places Lola showed me last month, was Nanarup Beach east of Albany in southern Western Australia. Nanarup Beach is popular with anglers, and is stunningly beautiful with a wide arc of clean sand, vegetated cliffs and dunes, and crystal clear surf.

Although Lola is physically disabled, with her determination and my assistance, she was able to access the beach. Our trips into the bush and to waterways are special occasions, and we always take away precious memories of our time together in the outdoors. I carried Lola's chair, and saw her safely settled with an ocean view before I wandered off exploring.

I was shocked to find parts of a dead whale, which Lola later learned had been a female Humpback Whale approximately 9 metres long. It had been dead for a week prior to beaching on 2nd November 2009.

This photograph of the dead Humpback Whale washed up on Nanarup Beach is courtesy of an environmental worker.

The first evidence of the mammal on the day of my visit to the beach (13th November 2009) was a huge blob of what appeared to be blubber. I had never previously seen anything like this, but I couldn't think of any other feasible identity of the mystery object.

And then I saw the tail. What an amazing sight! This was 11 days after the carcase had been washed up on the beach intact. I have no idea how the carcase became dismembered. The exposed section of the backbone was about 30cms diameter, and deeply pitted.

There was plenty more to grab my attention on Nanarup beach. Amongst the rocky outcrop on the western end of the beach was a large 'boulder' that looks every bit like a calcified root-ball of a tree.

Apparently, calcification occurs when plants are rapidly covered by lime-laden sand, preserved, and then exposed with the receding of the sand. I have no documentation of this structure on Nanarup Beach, but I am presuming this is a calcified tree root-ball.

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Lola had been entertained by the birdlife while I walked. She was thrilled to witness an Osprey grab a fish with its talons in a tidal backwater not far from where she was sitting. Death in nature sustains life, just as the whale carcase would have provided many a meal for other animals and birds.

My only hope is that the whale died of natural causes rather than irresponsibility or lack of care by humans.