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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Gilbert the whale dead on beach | Gilbert the whale dead on beach |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A whale spotted off the Dorset coast has died. | A whale spotted off the Dorset coast has died. |
| The 30ft (9m) northern bottlenose, which had been named Gilbert, was found dead on the beach at Alum Chine. | The 30ft (9m) northern bottlenose, which had been named Gilbert, was found dead on the beach at Alum Chine. |
| Gilbert, which was a female, was first sighted swimming between Bournemouth Pier and Branksome two weeks ago and had become a popular attraction. | Gilbert, which was a female, was first sighted swimming between Bournemouth Pier and Branksome two weeks ago and had become a popular attraction. |
| Rescuers fear she may have got caught up in netting because rope marks were discovered on her beak. A post-mortem examination will be carried out. | Rescuers fear she may have got caught up in netting because rope marks were discovered on her beak. A post-mortem examination will be carried out. |
| A warning has been issued to the public not to go to the beach as it is not yet known whether Gilbert died from a contagious disease. | |
| RNLI lifeguard | RNLI lifeguard |
| Gilbert was last seen in Dorset on Friday and there had been an unconfirmed sighting off the Cornwall coast. Conservationists had hoped she was making her way to the Atlantic. | |
| Jenny O'Connor, from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said: "I can't say for certain but it does look from the rope marks around her top beak that she may have been caught in some form of nets. | Jenny O'Connor, from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said: "I can't say for certain but it does look from the rope marks around her top beak that she may have been caught in some form of nets. |
| "Obviously this has got to be looked into by the appropriate authorities and with the pathologists. | "Obviously this has got to be looked into by the appropriate authorities and with the pathologists. |
| "They have got to confirm this, that she has been caught in a net and may have drowned." | "They have got to confirm this, that she has been caught in a net and may have drowned." |
| Gilbert was named after RNLI lifeguard Nick "Gilbert" Smith who first spotted her. | Gilbert was named after RNLI lifeguard Nick "Gilbert" Smith who first spotted her. |
| Rescuers had said it was unusual to see a whale seemingly happy to stay so close to shore in an unfamiliar area. | Rescuers had said it was unusual to see a whale seemingly happy to stay so close to shore in an unfamiliar area. |
| It had been feared the mammal would become dehydrated feeding on small fish in the area, rather than its usual diet of squid, as it gets water from food. | It had been feared the mammal would become dehydrated feeding on small fish in the area, rather than its usual diet of squid, as it gets water from food. |