Whale, Secrets of a Stranding from BBC South West tells the story of a 20-metre fin whale whose skull is being unearthed five years after it stranded on Parbean Cove, Cornwall.
The young female fin whale, the second-largest creature on Earth, died in 2020 despite rescue attempts by locals. Scientists from the University of Exeter buried the skull to allow natural decomposition before its planned excavation for research and display.
This month, experts are carefully lifting the two-tonne skull, roughly the size of a minibus, from a two-metre-deep pit on campus using a crane and industrial vacuum excavator in a ten-hour operation.
Professor Robbie McDonald, who led the project, said: “It’s fantastic. We didn’t know what to expect after five years underground, but it’s come out really clean. This skull is a gargantuan reminder of what we can do to improve the marine environment.”
Stephanie Marshall, Senior Head of Content Production for the West and South West, added: “This is an extraordinary story – a tale that begins on a Cornish beach and ends with a scientific triumph.
“It’s about community, conservation, and curiosity. Whale: Secrets of a Stranding captures the spirit of our region and the global importance of protecting our oceans.”
Whale, Secrets of a Stranding is available to listen on BBC Sounds from today, Tuesday 18 November.
