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Orca Lulu's body contained PCB levels 100x above the safe limit. Image: SMASS

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Stranded Sowerby’s beaked whale on Isle of Lewis, Scotland

By Sarah Dolman | 24th June 2015

Today WDC assisted the Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme (SMASS) to post mortem a young (3.5 metre) Sowerby’s beaked whale at the Port of Ness, Isle of Lewis, Scotland.

Sowerby's beaked whale


The whale was male, had a good blubber layer and had been a healthy individual. Cause of death was a blunt force trauma that resulted in a fractured lower jaw. The injury meant that the whale was not able to feed and as a result his stomach was empty.

Sowerby's beaked whale

Sand in his lungs indicated that the whale live stranded (probably on Monday afternoon), but a lack of muscular bruising suggested that he died within a short time of stranding.

A few Sowerby’s beaked whales strand each year around Scotland and a complete record of Scottish strandings can be found on the SMASS website.