Two beached whales prompt shark warnings at City Beach and Sovereign Park beach

Two whales washed up on beaches in Perth’s northern suburbs — including one carcass — have prompted a shark warning.

The first whale was reported by a member of the public at the southern end of City Beach just before 11am Saturday morning.

It is understood the four-metre juvenile humpback whale is still alive after beaching itself on-shore.

A Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions spokesperson said a team of responders were deployed to City Beach in the morning, but the mammal would likely not survive.

“The whale was assessed by marine rangers to be in poor condition and unlikely to survive,” the spokesperson said.

“Staff will continue to monitor the whale which was last seen 200m offshore.

“A shark alert via DPIRD is in place and the beach will be closed to the public.”

The spokesperson later confirmed there had been no further sightings of the juvenile humpback since it was last seen 200m offshore from City Beach at about 12:30pm.

Another whale carcass — believed to be a calf — was reported only a couple of hours later, just before 1pm.

The whale had reportedly died and washed up at Sovereign Park beach in Two Rocks, about 65km north of City Beach.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development issued shark advice for the beach and surrounding area, advising winter beachgoers to take additional caution.

“It is possible the carcass will act as an attractant that could lead to sharks coming in close to shore along this stretch of coast,” the DPIRD alert said.

“While it’s not uncommon for sharks to be present off the Western Australian coast throughout the year, people should exercise additional caution.”

Punters can stay up to date and check for shark activity on the SharkSmart website, SharkSmart WA app or Surf Life Saving WA’s Twitter feed.

DPIRD officers are monitoring the situation and providing advice to relevant authorities.

If you see a shark, report it to Water Police on 9442 8600