WILDLIFE experts have had their say after a porpoise was found on a Furness beach having had a huge bite apparently taken out of it.

The grim discovery was made by a member of the public on Walney Island - he did not specify the exact location.

Porpoises are marine mammals similar in appearance to dolphins.

Sarah Neill, Cumbria coordinator for Sea Watch, said it appeared at least some of the damage had been done by scavenging birds, with beak marks visible.

She did not think that any single animal had taken the bite, although foxes or dogs might pick at a carcass.

Dr Emily Baxter, senior marine conservation officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said the large chunk could have been taken out of the animal’s underside after its death.

“Unfortunately, harbour porpoises strand fairly regularly on our coast and it can often be difficult to determine the cause of death without an expert post-mortem examination,” she said

“There are a number of reasons why whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals wash up, from natural causes to disease, to a build-up of toxins, ingestion or entanglement in plastics/litter, or boat strikes, among other things.”

Dr Baxter said that, while it was sad to see harbour porpoises such as this one wash up on beaches, it served as a ‘good reminder that these ocean giants live in our seas’.

“They are one of the most common marine mammals living off the coast of Cumbria, although they can be quite shy and hard to spot compared to the more gregarious bottlenose dolphins and grey seals,” she said.

She encouraged members of the public who find dead marine mammals to report sightings to Cumbria Wildlife Trust or the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme.

“This vital information is added to the national database, which provides an accurate picture of what species are found in UK waters, their local and seasonal distribution, and information on their threats, helping to answer a wide range of scientific questions,” she said.