The Queensland Department of Environment and Science (DES) has reminded people to stay away from marine animal remains after rangers witnessed about 50 tiger sharks feeding on a humpback whale carcass off the coast of Hervey Bay this month.
The department said the humpback had been “anchored to a secure spot to allow for natural processes to continue.”
It was the fifth whale to die locally in a week.
“The death of one whale, although sad, creates a life source for many other scavenging animals including fish, sharks and other marine life,” ranger Daniel Clifton said. Clifton said as the population of whales migrating up Queensland’s coast continues to grow, “the number of whales dying of natural causes” would also increase.
“Where there are dead whales, there are likely sharks nearby and this vision clearly shows why this is the case,” Clifton said.
“That is why we ask people to keep their distance from dead whales that wash up near the shore. Marine animals can also carry zoonotic diseases, so you should never touch them,” he advised. Credit: Queensland DES via Storyful
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