A young minke whale was found lifeless on the beach of Punta Trettu, on the coast of San Giovanni Suergiu.
The cetacean was still in the water close to the shore until late in the evening: it was reported by some citizens, both to the coast guard of Sant'Antioco and to the cetacean centre of Nora, which sent personnel to inspect the area.
The Forestry Corps of environmental surveillance agents of the Sant'Antioco station also worked on site to carry out a visual inspection. The municipal administration of San Giovanni Suergiu and the Department of the Environment, as well as the local police command, were also informed of the discovery .
On site, among the many citizens, also Antonio Floris, resident in Matzaccara. "They reported the presence of the whale to me and I immediately went to the site. I hope it will be promptly removed both for environmental and health reasons".
But in the meantime we will need to trace the cause of death.
The minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is an uncommon species in the Mediterranean, according to Alessandro Spiga, a nature photographer who went to the site after the report. «The few sightings occur in the westernmost part of our sea, so a beaching on the Italian coast can be considered a rare case. Considering that adults of this species reach sizes ranging from 7 to 10 meters, this can be considered a very young specimen».