A DEAD fin whale on the shore in Culross will be left to decompose naturally. 

The Fife Coast and Countryside Trust have revealed that the carcass of the mammal, that was washed on to the beach 700 metres west of Culross in the Firth of Forth on the evening of Wednesday, January 24, will not be recovered. 

The dead and decomposing 17-metre-long fin whale will be left in its current location to naturally decompose, enriching the coastal environment with nutrients and providing an important food source for wildlife during the winter period.

Dunfermline Press: The body of the whale will left to decompose naturally. The body of the whale will left to decompose naturally. (Image: Culross Stables Community Hub)

Robbie Blyth, head of operations at Fife Coast and Countryside Trust (FCCT), who coordinates cetacean strandings on the Fife coast, explained: “When possible, biologists and veterinarians from the Scottish Marine Stranding Scheme examine a carcass and conduct a necropsy to try to learn why the mammal may have died.

"On this occasion, the whale had already started to putrefy and was not suitable for investigation.

READ MORE: Public urged to stay away from dead whale on Culross shore

“This is one of the reasons we have decided not to recover the carcass. Also, its location - at the foot of the railway embankment coastal defences – would have presented a challenge in recovering it.

"The location is relatively inaccessible to beach users and dog walkers and we believe that leaving it in situ causes the least disruption to locals and visitors.

“The decision not to recover the carcass has been made after full consultation with key stakeholders and partners including Fife Council, community representatives, Network Rail, Forth Ports, Forth Estuary Forum, NatureScot, SEPA, and Marine Scotland.”

The carcass will be monitored by FCCT wardens and members of the public are advised not to access the shoreline.