A dead whale discovered on Kilmacreehy Beach in County Clare over the weekend has been identified as a Sowerby’s Beaked Whale — a rarely seen deep-water species found in the North Atlantic.

The discovery has prompted an examination by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, with researchers hoping to learn more about the animal and the circumstances surrounding its death.

Alan Morrissey was joined by Stephanie Levesque to explain what happens when a whale strands on our coastline, what scientists can learn from these events, and why the public is being urged to keep a safe distance from stranded marine mammals.

Image © Irish Whale and Dolphin Group via Facebook