Michael Reville via SWNSAn injured whale has died near a beach in Edinburgh despite desperate attempts to save it.
The distressed whale was found at Brunstane Burn between Portobello Beach, Edinburgh and Musselburgh Beach, East Lothian.
It was wounded and died despite efforts from Scottish SPCA rescue officers and volunteers from British Divers Marine Life Rescue to save it.
The sea creature’s body has been sent off for post-mortem in an attempt to understand the circumstances surrounding its death.
Melissa Maitland, a Scottish SPCA senior animal rescue officer, said, “We were alerted to the distressed Sowerby’s beaked whale at around 12.30pm on Tuesday 13 October.
“I assisted a group of volunteers from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who were trying to help the stricken animal.
“Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the whale sadly passed away.
“There are lots of reasons whales and other marine mammals sometimes beach themselves such as changing tide or losing their way.
“The body will be taken for post-mortem by the National Museum of Scotland to try to ascertain why this happened.”
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