dead whale
Another Cuvier's beaked whale has washed up on a Donegal beach, just days after the discovery of two whales on two separate sites in the county.

On August 4, two Cuvier's beaked whales were found dead in Sheephaven Bay and Gola Island.

However a third whale has now been found washed up Pollan beach in Ballyliffin in recent days.

A Derry holiday maker who saw the whale said it was a very sad sight.

"I was on the beach with my son and my husband and we came across the whale," she said.

"It was very upsetting to see such a wonderful mammal lying dead like that."

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has described the strandings as "highly unusual" for the deep-diving mammal.

Cuvier's beaked whales are a deep diving species and have previously been found to be particularly affected by loud underwater man-made noise (eg sonar).