A sperm whale found dead on the coast of Sardinia had 22kg of plastic in her stomach, according to researchers.
Photographs taken on March 28 show the dead mammal, which was pregnant, lying lifeless on the rocky shoreline of Porto Cervo.
A team of the local fire brigade used heavy equipment to hoist the whale, which was found by the caretaker of a private beach resort last week.
It is thought that the amount of plastic in the female whale's stomach meant she was unable to feed her foetus. Scientists found plastic plates, fishing nets, tarps, black trash bags and a sack of detergent.
A number of toxicology tests will be carried out by experts in the coming weeks, in an effort to determine the cause of death.
Video courtesy: Seame Sardinia
