Beached Whale Causes Closure Of Three Beaches In Durban

Holidaymakers traveling to the Durban south coasts were warned that swimming in St Michaels, and Uvongo has been banned.

The holiday destination Margate Beach remains open for bathing purposes, but the KwaZulu Natal Sharks Board warned bathers to stay in the shallows and within eyesight of the lifeguards on duty.

It happened after an adult humpback whale was stranded between the rocks at Shelly Beach the past weekend.

The community members had harvested the dead carcass for meat, bait and cooking oil according to the KZN Marine Stranding Network.

Greg Thompson, the KZN shark board head of operations, claimed three beaches had been closed as a precautionary measure. This was after whale meat was seen floating in the water, leading to shark activity.

The shark board advised the beach management that bathing needs to remain banned at Uvongo and St Mike’s because of the bits of whale which had broken up and began to drift to the south.

Thompson also claimed the Margate lifeguards would still allow for bathing but at a shallow depth.

When doing the beach and sea patrols, if they do not see pieces of whale floating around and zero activity, they will resume activities at the beach. He also claimed there was a strong chance the beaches would be reopened.

In a Facebook post, skin and blubber samples were taken along with several barnacles.

The carcass removal is the responsibility of Ray Nkonyeni municipality. However, the residents within the area had been illegally cutting the meat for their personal uses.

Harry Mbambo, a spokesperson for the KZN sharks board, yesterday, stated the whale carcass was still in the process of being removed.

He claimed there would strictly be no swimming at the designated beaches because of the evidence sharks had been feeding on the whale meat within the area.

The UGU South Coast Tourism chief Phelisa Mangcu also said the closing of the beaches was unfortunate, but the safety of the visitors was the critical thing at the end.

During times like these, there has been heightened shark activity, and it can cause a feeding frenzy. It will follow chunks into the surf zone.

The KwaZulu Natal Sharks Board mentioned the bounty attained from beaching of the whale serves as a wonder to experience. It is stunning to be within an area with such close interaction with ocean creatures.

Care needs to be taken, though considering some of them are dangerous and to maintain a safe level of interaction.