Victor Harbor local’s dead baby whale find amid flu fears
A local tells InDaily about his son’s grim discovery on a beach near Victor Harbor this morning.
A dead whale believed to be an infant dwarf minke whale has been found washed up on the shore of Dump Beach near Victor Harbor.
The whale measured at nearly three-and-a-half metres long and appeared to have red marks and damage to its fins.
Victor Harbor resident Anthony Rowland told InDaily that his son located the beached whale in the early hours of Thursday morning.
“He was pretty devastated, and obviously just rang me straight away, even though it was 10 past six this morning,” Rowland said.
The death has sparked concerns about bird flu as the number of cases across the state continues to rise.
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As of Tuesday afternoon, South Australia has confirmed 281 positive cases of H5 bird flu making it the state with the highest number of cases.
Rowland said he had been in contact with whale specialists who advised that it was “not completely unusual” to see juvenile whales die and wash up on the beach due to birthing issues but remained concerned about the spread of bird flu.
“Bird flu’s probably the strongest possibility, given the current climate, but it could just be a natural thing,” Rowland said.
“It could be a domino effect of the algal bloom with fish stocks being depleted, leaving whales hungry.
“Until the toxicology report comes in, it’s going to be pretty hard to put a finger on it, I think.”
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Rowland said the whale’s death was another blow to the coastal community following a difficult year with the harmful algal bloom in 2025.
“We went straight from algal bloom into bird flu, and it just feels like at the beach there’s always been a hazard recently and the normal way of life seems disrupted,” Rowland said.
“I’ve lived in Victor my whole life since I was about five. Never in my life have I remembered a period where so many things were just going wrong.
“It just feels like the world’s a bit out of balance.”
The Department of Environment and Water (DEW) confirmed it will be investigating the matter.
“National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) rangers were alerted to the carcass of a suspected juvenile minke whale at Dump Beach, Hayborough, on Thursday, September 10,” a DEW spokesperson said.
“Rangers did not detect any external injuries. The carcass has been removed and will undergo a necropsy and laboratory testing – including for H5 bird flu and algal toxins – to determine the cause of death.
“The death of marine mammals, while unfortunate, is not an uncommon occurrence.
“Anyone who observes sick, injured or dead wildlife should call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.”
Currently seven mammals have tested positive for the bird flu, including two foxes, two dolphins and three fur seals.
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