Pygmy sperm whale found dead on Anglesey beach, Wales

A whale that was rescued and freed back into the sea last week has died.

The young pygmy sperm whale was spotted washed up on a beach at Dinas Dinlle today, opposite Newborough beach where it was originally found stranded and rescued, last Thursday, November 20.

It was discovered by Gwynedd council worker Rhys Jones.

A post-mortem will be carried out by the government's Marine Environmental Monitoring body to try to find out what caused the animal's death.

Dr Peter Evans, Director of the Seawatch Foundation, said it was not surprising that the whale had died.

"They have been found increasingly in European waters in the past few years because of climate change.

"It's probably come across from deeper waters into shallower waters.

"It's very sad news as it's only the second strand in Wales of such a rare species."

Last week, the reported how volunteers from Sea Watch Foundation found the male mammal stranded at Newborough beach.

They were joined by members of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), coastguards and RSPCA who carried the male mammal from the sand and back into the sea.

There had been fears the whale would strand itself again.