THE National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will tomorrow assess the dead humpback whale calf washed up on Stockton Beach and decide the best way to dispose of the carcass.

Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) volunteers found the juvenile whale with large chunks of its flesh missing washed up on Stockton Beach near Tin City Thursday morning.

NPWS is the authority in charge of disposing of the carcass.

NPWS senior ranger Leanne Ellis said national parks staff would assess the condition, location and size of the animal tomorrow, Friday, and determine how to dispose of it.

Ms Ellis said options included burying the animal or towing it out to sea.

EARLIER:

A JUVENILE whale has been found dead by Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) volunteers Thursday morning.

About 8am the humpback whale calf was found with large chunks of its flesh missing lying washed up on Stockton Beach near Tin City, 12 kilometres south of Birubi Point Surf Life Saving Club.

ORRCA vice president Shona Lorigan said volunteers had been searching for a sick seal when they came across the six-metre-long whale.

‘‘It appears it has been dead for a while,’’ Ms Lorigan said.

‘‘The carcass would have been floating at sea for a while and eaten by sharks.

‘‘It washed up overnight.’’

Ms Lorigan said large chunks of flesh was missing from the carcass with bite marks consistent with a shark.

ORRCA volunteers measured the whale and collected data to report to authorities.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service is the authority in charge of disposing of the carcass.

At 3.30pm the carcass was still washed up on Stockton Beach.

More to come.