porps and props not good.

Thanks to Andrew and also Sarah Britton for sending this pic'

Hi Cliff

Just taken a phone call from a gentleman; Andrew Britton, who spotted a Porpoise washed up at Cold Knap in Barry over the weekend. He took some photographs as well so i'm sure he would be happy to pass them on to you if you wanted. He also mentioned that it had some marks on it so wasn't sure if it had been hit or not, but it was also washed up in the same place as the Minke Whale was last year.

Thanks
Nic

Nicola Cornock

Membership Officer

Office Tel/Ffon: 01656 724100
Direct Tel/Ffon: 01656 726993
E-mail/Ebost: n.cornock@welshwildlife.org

A good example of the Wildlife Trust's ability to get things done!
Nicola emailed me, and within minutes I had Rod Penrose of Welsh Marine Mammal Strandings (see links) on the case.
If you want to help us look after all our wildlife both on land and sea, give Nicola a bell or email her and she will sign you up as a Wildlife Trust member! Its all about local people caring for their own wildlife!
End of advert!
...anyhow it looks like Andrews porpoise may have been struck by the propellor of a boat although some of the damage looks to have been caused by scavengers. It seems to be a full grown adult and from the abrasions on the fins and tail etc looks to have been dead for at least a few days although Andrew said it seemed /smelled reasonably fresh!

Speaking to Rod earlier, another Porpoise that we had reported to him from Newport Pembrokeshire, last week also appeared to have been hit by a boat. Rod said it also had healed wounds caused by being attacked by a Bottlenose Dolphin.
Shame it escaped the bottles only to get clobbered by a boat!

Of course with boats and cetaceans both sharing our coastal waters occasional accidents will inevitably happen but there are things we can all do to lessen the risk; see Marine Code on the right !