New research into a whale which stranded on the Pembrokeshire coast more than a decade ago has identified it as the first short-finned pilot whale ever to be found in British waters.
This type of whale is more frequently found in tropical to warm temperate seas and is not normally encountered in Europe north of the Bay of Biscay. Researchers said its discovery in UK waters adds to the growing evidence of a clear trend of cetacean life being affected by climate change.
The whale stranded at Hazelbeach near Neyland on March 1, 2012. It was examined by the Defra and Welsh Government-funded Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) and was initially identified as a long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas, which are commonly found in British waters and strand frequently.
