More Recently, in 2024, a Minke Whale Washed Ashore on Het Rif, a Sandbank Between Ameland and Schiermonnikoog, According to Omrop Fryslân

A dead minke whale has washed ashore on the west side of Vlieland, one of the Dutch Wadden Islands. It is the first time in 26 years that a minke whale has been found on the island. The animal is already in an advanced state of decomposition, with its head and tail missing.

It is rare for a minke whale to strand on a Wadden Island. The last time this happened on Vlieland was in 2000, when a whale washed up on the beach of the Vliehors nature reserve. More recently, in 2024, a minke whale washed ashore on Het Rif, a sandbank between Ameland and Schiermonnikoog, according to Omrop Fryslân.

Minke whales are among the smaller baleen whales. Adults are typically 7 to 7.5 meters long and weigh an average of 4 to 5 tons.