COUNCIL bosses have been criticised for reportedly leaving dead dolphins, seals, and porpoises on beaches across Tendring for weeks on end.
Four dead animals were found washed up across Tendring in the second of May, sparking concern among residents and day-trippers.
A dead seal in Walton, a dead dolphin in Frinton, a dead seal in Harwich, and a dead porpoise in Dovercourt are all said to have been left for a "few weeks".
Warning: Picture of a dead animal below
Neil Marples, 64, is a member of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue and said, speaking only for himself, he receives “dozens and dozens” of phone calls from the public about dead animals.
Neil said he has no way of disposing of dead animals unlike Tendring Council (TDC) which has the responsibility, as well as the tarp, for the animals who typically only need three or four people to move.
Neil said: “It’s a common issue right across the country but some councils remove it the same day, they don’t want to see mouldy, rotting, animals across the beaches.
“Tendring seems very poor at removing. It does not take three or four weeks to do."
Dead - A dead porpoise in Dovercourt near the light house (Image: Submitted)
Neil has offered numerous times to send medics and people down to help TDC who have the needed tarp, but just receives “the same excuses each time”.
Neil added that due to “unfortunate weaning issues” in the ‘common seal pupping season’ which covers June, July, and August, more seal pub deaths would be expected.
Mike Bush, Tendring Council councillor responsible for environment, said removing dead marine mammals from the seafront “could be a complex process”.
Rescue - Neil Marples is one of the local seal medics that responds to about 20 seal rescues per year on the Tendring coast (Image: Submitted)
Mr Bush said: “We always respond promptly to reports of dead wildlife along our coastline, but the actual removal is not always an easy thing to do”.
“Often smaller animals are washed out on the tide before our contractors can retrieve them, which is a natural process”.
Mr Bush added: “Larger creatures, such as the recent grey seal in Dovercourt, are a more complicated issue as they require heavy machinery to remove them due to the weight”.
“Dependent upon the animal there may be other processes we have to follow too – such as notifying the Receiver of Wreck or seeing if a post-mortem is required.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel