Sanday pilot whales may remain ‘in situ’

Leaving the 23 pilot whales which have stranded in Sanday “in situ” is one of the options being considered by Orkney Islands Council (OIC).

The authority confirmed, this Tuesday afternoon, that it is reviewing a number of options for how to manage the bodies of the whales, which were discovered at Roo Beach on Sunday.

An OIC spokeswoman said: “Following the stranding of 23 Pilot Whales at Roo Beach in Sanday, Orkney Islands Council is carefully working through options for how to handle the situation, including the option to leave the whales in situ and allowing nature to take its course.

 “There are various factors at play, including the advanced state of decomposition of the whales and the location of the stranding.  Discussions continue with a number of agencies and Sanday community representatives on agreed next steps.

“We would continue to strongly advise local people and visitors to stay away from the area.”