27.01.2014

Bernard Hunter has a whale of a time!

Edinburgh, Scotland-based Bernard Hunter Crane Hire recently helped remove a 14 metre long male sperm whale washed up on Portobello Beach, Edinburgh.

The 30 tonne whale - which had been dead and floating in the water for some time - was towed from Portobello Beach to Burntisland, Fife where Bernard Hunter lifted it out of the water using two Liebherr All Terrain cranes with capacities of 100 and 130 tonnes.
Please register to see all images

The 30 tonne whale - which had been dead and floating in the water for some time -was towed from Portobello Beach to Burntisland, Fife

Please register to see all images

The 30 tonne whale being loaded

Marine experts believe the whale had collided with a boat's propellers in deeper waters and then drifted towards land. Because of its size, the only option was to perform the necropsy at a local landfill site in Dunbar.
Please register to see all images

Bernard Hunter lifted it out of the water using two Liebherr AT cranes with capacities of 100 tonne and 130 tonnes.

Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme said: "There are only a few options for dealing with something of this size. One is to leave it where it is and let nature take its course. Not an option here as it is too close to a major city. Burying on site is another but, again not possible in this case as we were not able to get machinery down to do this and would likely be uncovered by tidal action."

"The only other option was to remove it to landfill. Not the nicest place to perform a necropsy but it does allow us to get an accurate weight on an animal that would be too big to weigh anywhere else."
Please register to see all images

Because of the size of the whale, the only option was to perform the necropsy at a local landfill site in Dunbar.

Please register to see all images

It final resting place - a landfill site in Dunbar