1:31pm UK, Monday August 23, 2010Kat Higgins, Sky News Online
A 21ft minke whale has been found dead on a beach near a holiday park in North Wales.
The stranded mammal was found in a rocky, remote cove on the Llyn Peninsula near Pwllheli on Sunday morning.
The animal was discovered by a holiday-maker staying at the Hafan y Mor holiday park.
Barry Davies, maritime and country parks officer at Gwynedd Council, told Sky News Online it is not known what killed the animal but starvation is a possible cause.
He also said it was possible that the young cetacean had been alive when it became beached in the early hours of Sunday.
Specialists from the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) have visited the scene to examine the carcass which will be removed on Tuesday.
Experts from London Zoo were also called to the beach and a post mortem will be carried out in the coming days.
Mr Davies told Sky News Online it is very rare to see minke whales in Cardigan Bay and there have only been two strandings in this area in the last 10 years.
Minke whales can grow to 35ft (10.6m) in length and are often spotted in waters off the western part of the British Isles.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/A-21ft-Young-Minke-Whale-Is-Found-Dead-On-A-Beach-Near-A-Holiday-Park-In-North-Wales/Article/201008415702996?f=rss
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