Sperm whale in Thames Estuary dies

A large sperm whale who was spotted in the Thames estuary has died.

The whale had been facing a race against time to make it back out to open sea after he or she was spotted last week.

The whale, thought to be around 50ft long, was initially spotted off the coast of Whitstable, Kent.

He or she later moved further into the Swale estuary, sparking further concerns as tides dropped. Sperm whales are deep water species not usually found around the UK. The whale will struggle to survive in shallow waters and find a way back out to sea.

A dead fin whale was recovered from the waters near Gravesend by the Port of London authority recently after being hit by a ship.

WDC’s Nicola Hodgins said, ‘The reasons for this sperm whale getting into difficulty could be various. It is quite likely that he/she was sick or had become disorientated due to loud noises underwater.’

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