The corpses of two porpoises have been washed up on Norfolk beaches within days of each other, both with large bites taken out of them. Could a Great white shark – or even a killer whale – be responsible?
Is the Norfolk coast being stalked? Two dead porpoises in a matter of days point to something big out there, but just what it is remains a mystery.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, the corpses were found on beaches at Winterton and Horsey. Both had large chunks bitten out of them.
Dr Ken Collins of the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton told the Daily Mail that the porpoises had 'undoubtedly' been bitten by a shark, most likely a Shortfin mako, but that something like a Great white may also have been responsible. "The sea around the UK is habitable for big sharks," he said.
But according to local naturalist Percy Trett, a killer whale is probably responsible, as although such attacks are rare in the region, these whales do occur off the Scottish coast and occasionally come down to the North Sea.
Last year a number of dead seals were washed up on the Norfolk coast with some pretty nasty wounds. However, it's thought that these were most likely caused by propellers from boats, rather than a predator.