Whale carcass washes up near luxury Umhlanga hotels

The carcass of a massive humpback whale washed up at the foot of upmarket hotels The Oyster Box‚ Pearls and the Beverly Hills in Umhlanga on Tuesday.

The 30-ton whale carcass was initially spotted on a beach near Umdloti‚ on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast‚ on Monday.

Marine experts and eThekwini municipality workers began the process of removing the humpback whale when the rising tide forced them to abandon their effort.

“The whale was taken by the tides on Monday afternoon. It traveled about 3km and landed on the Umhlanga beach‚” said Jennifer Olbers of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

Dozens of tourists and locals watched from the promenade and pier as municipal officials resumed the process of clearing the carcass and disposing it at a landfill site.

“We are locals from Umhlanga and we heard about this amazing whale. I have bought my three-year-old down to witness the size of a real whale and she is blown away at its size. She is very intrigued to see how two tractors are going to pull the whale out of the water‚” said Kim Lee.

However tourist Lyn Dixon said: “I am pretty sad to see a dead animal but I suppose everyone has a life and death experience. I am just surprised the sharks haven't eaten more of it."

Dutch tourist Joke van Hedel said she was interested to observe what was being done to the whale.

"They kept apologising at the hotel for the smell‚ but I didn't smell anything‚ " she said.