Council hope to recoup whale fee

The sperm whale's toothy lower jawbone

Highland Council hopes to recover the costs of dealing with the carcass of a 40ft sperm whale from the government.

The whale died on Tuesday in the Inner Moray Firth, an unfamiliar habitat for the deep diving species.

Contractors were called in to lift the mammal from the shore at Alturlie, near Inverness. The operation was completed by 1900 BST on Thursday.

The remains were transported to a plant at Keith in Moray where it was to be cut into pieces and burned.

The council said it was in discussion with the Scottish Government regarding the cost of recovery and disposal.

Gathered quietly

Neil Gillies, Highland Council's director of technical services said: "I would like to thank everyone involved in this operation to dispose of the whale, especially the residents of Alturlie Point for their patience while the process was going on around their homes."

The animal's appearance in the Moray Firth sparked interest among wildlife experts and the public.

Small crowds gathered at vantage points to catch a glimpse of the whale when it was alive and also quietly at its final resting place.

Samples were taken from the animal before it was taken away and were being analysed to try to establish how it died.

Whale experts said on its surface, the whale had scarring typical of adult males.

Scars are often the result of feeding on deep sea squid.