The whale carcass is currently leaching blood and oil into the sea and the KZN Sharks Board has lifted certain shark nets to avoid sharks becoming entangled in shark nets and closed nearby beaches to bathing to protect bathers. POFS supports the KZNSB’s approach to this sad story.
“However, we are disappointed with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s approach because the decomposition could take years, with the dead whale’s oil leaching into the sea over a long period of time,” read the statement.
“Other possible effects include the spring tide revealing the rotting carcass. Quite obviously the tactic of burying the whale carcass will serve as a shark-chumming device for quite a while.”
POFS believes the action of burying the carcass, or parts of the carcass will strain the shark net management as well as bathing restrictions for a long time. “We are concerned that the blame for any shark-related incidents will be attributed to the sharks by the public and not the rotting carcass (chumming device). The presence of the decaying carcass may also pose a biohazard.”
They understand the carcass could not have been disposed of by towing it out to sea but would have preferred to see it disposed of by processing of the remains in a controlled environment.
Follow the story of the beached whale here
