A dead minke whale has washed up on the Dutch island of Vlieland, the first known stranding of the species on the island in 26 years.
The whale was found on the western side of Vlieland, one of the Wadden Islands in the north of the Netherlands. The body was already badly decomposed and both the head and tail were missing.
It is not yet known how the whale died or how long the animal had been dead before washing ashore.
More minke whales can be found closer to the Wadden Islands during summer. They are among the smallest baleen whales. Adults are usually around 7 to 7.5 metres long and weigh around four to five tonnes.
They have a dark back, lighter belly and a distinctive white band on their flippers. Their diet includes fish such as herring, mackerel, sprat and sand eel.
There is currently no information about whether the whale found on Vlieland will undergo further examination.
