Mysterious sea creature washes up on beach in Wales
The five-foot long carcass with ‘giant jawline’ is found on Rhossili beach, Swansea
A mysterious creature has washed up on Rhossili beach in Wales with experts so far unable to confirm its identity.
The five-foot long carcass found on the beach in Gower, Swansea, “has a long head, giant jawline and slender tail”, reports The Sun.
Beth Jannetta, 41, who discovered the monster while walking her dogs, told the paper she sent a photo of the creature to experts, hoping they would identify it.
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But so far scientists are not sure if it is a type of whale, dolphin or porpoise.
Jannetta said: “It looked like a well rotted cetacean to me. Other people think it is something different, like a crocodile.
“It would be very interesting to find out what species it is.”
National Trust area ranger Mark Hipkin, who was called to collect the remains, told the BBC he thought it was a porpoise.
"We have porpoises washing up quite regularly, as well as dolphins and seals - and sometimes sheep," he said.
Dan Forman, a biosciences lecturer from Swansea University, told the broadcaster: “Its jaw line suggests it is like a cetacean whale or a dolphin.”
Cetaceans are aquatic mammals found in oceans and rivers.
“We get a reasonable amount of whales and dolphins, a lot of which are dead and decomposed, in places like Pendine and Rhossili,” said Dr Forman.
“From the data around carcasses washed up, there seems to be a cluster this time of year around June and July.”
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