A minke whale has beached and died at Portstewart Strand in Co. Derry.  The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said it happened on Sunday evening.


Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

A minke whale has beached and died at Portstewart Strand in Co. Derry. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said it happened on Sunday evening.

Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

A dead minke whale that washed up at a beach on the north coast has now been “removed and disposed of”, the National Trust has confirmed.

The Department for Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) previously promised to remove the dead mammal as soon as possible after it appeared on Portstewart Strand on Sunday evening.

A makeshift cordon was erected around the carcass which lay just metres from the main entrance to the beach which is owned by the National Trust.

A minke whale has beached and died at Portstewart Strand in Co. Derry.  The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said it happened on Sunday evening.


Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

A minke whale has beached and died at Portstewart Strand in Co. Derry. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said it happened on Sunday evening.

Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Watch: Minke whale washed up on Portstewart Strand

In an update, a spokesperson for the conservation charity said: “On the evening of 25 May 2025, we became aware of a dead minke whale beached at Portstewart Strand.

“This was reported to DAERA and we worked with a range of agencies and marine mammal experts to follow protocol, removing and disposing of the whale this afternoon (27 May).

“It was important that this removal happened as quickly as possible as decaying marine mammals pose a serious health risk as they can carry a range of diseases that are transmissible to humans and dogs. “

Minke whales are one of the smallest species of baleen whale and can grow up to around 33 feet in length.

They are regularly seen off the Northern Ireland coastline.

A minke whale has beached and died at Portstewart Strand - Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

A minke whale has beached and died at Portstewart Strand – Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

On Monday, members of the public were pictured milling around the cordon, some taking selfies with the dead animal in the background.

The National Trust spokesperson warned the public not to get close to carcasses.

“If you spot a dead marine animal, please keep your distance and report any strandings to the DAERA Marine Wildlife Team Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk),” they said.

Minke whales have a lifespan of 50 years and can usually be seen in waters around Northern Ireland between the months of July and October.

They can come ashore for many reasons, including injury, illness, bad weather and navigational errors leading them into shallow water.