Humpback whale carcass washes up on Clifton beach

Posted by David Henning on 4 January 2022

The City of Cape Town has advised visitors to avoid Clifton beach after a humpback whale washed ashore during the early hours of 4 January 2022.

Law enforcement is on-site to secure the area and lifesavers at Clifton 4th are advising visitors to stay out of the ocean as a precautionary measure.

The City of Cape Town was informed of a whale carcass of approximately 9 metres and notified the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, who will collect samples and measurements for scientific analysis.

The cause of death is yet to be determined, but a large pod of humpbacks have been visiting the Atlantic seaboard, and this is the second whale carcass to wash ashore in the space of a month, where the last one washed up at Sea Point.

Because of the topography of Clifton beach, it is impossible to bring machinery in to remove the carcass overland. The carcass will therefore be removed with the help of a large vessel at high tide at approximately 16:30 today.

The carcass will be towed from the beach to the Oceana Power Boat Club, where it will be loaded and taken to the Visserhoek landfill.

Individuals are advised against bathing at Clifton beaches until further notice, in the unlikely event that sharks are attracted to the area.

Picture: City of Cape Town

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