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The body of a baby short-finned pilot whale has been recovered from Fañabé Beach in Costa Adeje, the third dead cetacean found in Canary Island waters this week.
Eyewitnesses have confirmed to the EFE news agency that the animal was “very small, only about the size of a dog.” The carcass showed no obvious signs of trauma, and the whale will now undergo a necropsy at La Tahonilla Wildlife Recovery Centre, operated by the Tenerife Cabildo.
Surge in Whale Deaths Causes Concern
The discovery comes just days after two young sperm whales were found dead in separate incidents off the coast of Tenerife. Experts believe both were likely struck by high-speed ferries, a growing threat to whale populations in the region.
One of the whales, a juvenile male, was found with a deep head wound consistent with a ship collision. The second, a young female, is being monitored as it remains adrift, according to local officials.
The Canary Islands are home to one of the richest marine ecosystems in Europe, with several species of whales and dolphins residing or migrating through its waters year-round. Conservationists are urging immediate action to prevent further losses.
The recent string of deaths has reignited calls for stronger marine protections and stricter regulation of maritime traffic in ecologically sensitive areas.
Researchers from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) and the University of La Laguna have issued a stark warning about the increasing danger to the local sperm whale population. They point to the sharp rise in maritime traffic and vessel speed through critical habitats, noting: “In less time than the lifespan of a sperm whale, the number of ships has more than doubled, and their speeds have increased significantly.”
