Most of the skull of a yet to be identified whale was dredged up approximately 3 miles SE of Brighton Marina by fisherman Nick Brown on 3 August, 50°45'N, 0°05'W.

It is at the Booth Museum of Natural History, Brighton BN1 5AA where it will be cleaned, prepared and put on display. As it is soaked in sea water, which has to be leached out, covered in barnacles, smelly with cetacean fatty oil and slightly damaged it will be at least nine months before this is possible.

We do not know which species it is but think that it might be a juvenile Sei or Fin Whale. A more positive identification will be made when it can be safely turned over as it is currently up-side down on a wooden pallet and is not safe to move.

Any comments regarding its type can be sent to boothmus@pavilion.co.uk
It appears to be a Fin Whale

Images of the skull, which is shown upside-down, are below:

Frontal, anterior view

Rear, posterior view

Side, lateral view

Contact details are below: