Not a very happy note to end the year, a porpoise was reported
washed ashore at Lancing in West Sussex (near Brooklands Park) on
Monday evening 15th December. The report came initially from a local
animal rescue charity WADARS via the Sussex Wildlife Trust. The
porpoise was estimated to be able 1.7 metres and was very emaciated.

The stranding coincided with a mass stranding of stafish and other
marine life. There were also the remains of dogfish (not intact) and
a baby ray (species unknown at present). Initially it was thought
the two events were not related, as winter storms can wash ashore
large numbers of all sorts of small marine creatures (such occurred
locally back in March this year). Since then it has been suggested
that the porpoise and other marine animals at Lancing may have been
the result of a trawl. The remains of the porpoise were picked up by
the Natural History Museum in London and I hope to receive an
official report on the cause of death.

Large numbers of starfish were also washed ashore in a similar state
at Shoreham, Beach Local Nature Reserve (West Sussex)on the Sunday
14th December

While porpoise are not common in the eastern channel in winter they
are occasionally observed, for example a pair of harbour porpoise
were reporetd at Hastings in January 2007. Over the years we have
had the occasional winter stranding of porpoise off Sussex, in one
year a baby porpoise with the umbilicus still attached.

I will report any further update.

Steve Savage
Sussex County Recorder for Sea Mammals
Sussex Regional Coordinator Sea Watch Foundation