Sunshine Coast officials tow dead humpback whale out to sea

A 6.7-metre female juvenile humpback whale washed up on Alex Beach on the Sunshine Coast. The cause of death for the animal remains unknown.

Sunshine Coast Council officers worked overnight to secure an exclusion zone around the carcass. During this time, officials collected measurements and samples, including testing the whale for bird flu, to submit to authorities for research and future carcass management.

A GPS tracker was attached to the whale before it was towed approximately 40 kilometres out to sea at first light. Council officers remain prepared to intervene if the animal drifts back toward the shore.