Whale calf remains swept to sea in Santa Teresa due to coordination issues

In Santa Teresa, Cóbano, the remains of a whale calf were swept out to sea by the tide before they could be buried. The local municipality attributed the incident to coordination issues with the National Animal Health Service (Senasa).

According to Ronny Montero, the mayor of Cóbano, municipal workers arrived with machinery to bury the remains, but were instructed to wait for Senasa personnel to collect samples. Due to the rising tide, Senasa officials could not arrive in time, and the municipality withdrew the equipment to ensure worker safety. By the time a second attempt could be made, the remains had been washed away and were in an advanced state of decomposition.