Felixstowe: Perfect porpoise had no tell-tale injuries to explain death
The porpoise found washed up on the beach at The Dip, Old Felixstowe, today. - Credit: Archant
MYSTERY surrounds the death of a young porpoise found washed ashore on a beach at Old Felixstowe.
Porpoise found in Felixstowe - Joe Read, age 10 - Credit: citizenside.com
The four-feet long creature was found by walkers at around 8am today on the shore at The Dip – and was reported to have been seen alive in the water shortly before.
After it came ashore, someone carried it up the beach and placed it on top of one of the wooden groynes.
Because porpoises are classed as “fishes royal” – along with whales, dolphins and sturgeon – the Receiver of Wreck has to be informed whenever one is washed up on a beach.
Coastguard officers attended to keep an eye on the porpoise until a decision could be made on its disposal.
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The Natural History Museum had to be informed in case its officers had wanted to do a post mortem, especially as there were no marks on the body of the mammal – believed to be a young adult – to indicate how it had died.
Suffolk Coastal officers attended ready to carry out the disposal of the body.
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Coastguards at the scene said they had never seen such a perfect specimen washed up before – often the creatures die at sea and are attacked by other fish or birds, or caught in propellers and damaged.
