The 42ft male sperm whale that stranded at Long Strand, Nr. Clonakilty,Co. Cork on 17th Jan was buried by Cork County Council on Wed. 19th Jan.
IWDG remained on-site throughout the operation to offer advise and field questions from members of the public.
The operation took a lot longer than anyone anticipated. Digging commenced at 12:00 and only finished at 16:00. So we now know it takes four hours to bury an adult sperm whale, properly….even with heavy lifting & digging equipment!
It is thought that at its current location and depth it could take as much as two years before the carcass has been reduced to a skeleton worthy of display. But we at least have the option of removing the skeleton at a later stage should there be any argument for exhuming it.
Anyway, the beach is now back to its former pristine state, with only the faintest lingering whiff of a whale.
Pádraig Whooley