A dead, long-finned, pilot whale (Globicephala melas) was found floating off Torrenueva beach on the 20th of February. Since then the Centre for the Marine Environment in Cádiz (Cegma) decided to investigate the cause of death.

This type of whale really belongs to the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae), although its behavior is closer to that of the larger whales. It’s much bigger than a dolphin, too, and we’re talking about nearly four metres in length with a weight of around three tonnes.

The pilot whale was actually spotted floating about 50 metres from the beach and a group of divers from a nearby diving school towed the dead animal to the beach. The Cegma crew turned up and had the pilot whale taken to Algerciras for an autopsy.

The examination brought to light a very strange cause of death; an 52-cm-long eel had entered into its bronchial duct, effectively suffocating it.

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andaluci