Rare fin whale washes up on UK coast

A dead 13m fin whale, a species of baleen whale, was sighted off the coast of Northern Ireland earlier this week before coming ashore at Portstewart Strand.

Fin whales are the second largest species of whale after the blue whale. They are known as the “greyhounds of the sea” due to high speeds they can swim at. It is currently unknown what the cause of death was. (This story has been updated after earlier reports suggested the whale may have been a sei whale).

 Photo © Nicola Hodgins/WDC