Egypt to bury rare sperm whale washed up on shore in Matrouh

Egypt’s environment minister met on Tuesday with a number of officials to draw up a plan for burying a rare sperm whale that washed up on shore in Matrouh governorate two days ago, a ministry statement read.

A deep hole will be dug for the burial, which will involve quicklime and plastic insulation.

Specialists will ensure that the skeleton is well preserved in anticipation of transporting it to Wadi El-Hitan (Valley of the Whales) in Fayoum, which holds whale skeletons that date back “42 million years,” according to the ministry’s statement.

The last recorded incident of a sperm whale washing up on shore in Egypt was in 1908 in Port Said governorate.

source: Ahram Online