The two marine animals washed up together on Freshwater East beach were an Atlantic bluefin tuna and a juvenile common dolphin, it has been confirmed.

The bluefin tuna has been described as “a stunning marine animal, that leaps out of the water like a dolphin, speeds like a racehorse, and is bigger than a polar bear.”

Nadia Tomsa, Marine Biologist and Manager of Sea Trust Wales, a marine conservation charity based in Goodwick, saw our previous article regarding the tuna on Freshwater East.

“We’ve also received reports from a few other people in Pembrokeshire who saw the animal,” she said.

“We can confirm that it is an Atlantic bluefin tuna, next to a juvenile Common dolphin.

Found washed up together on Freshwater East beach recently: alongside a juvenile common dolphin, there was a giant - an Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. The bluefin tuna is described by Devon Wildlife Trust as “a stunning marine animal, that leaps out of the water like a dolphin, speeds like a racehorse, and is bigger than a polar bear.”
Found washed up together on Freshwater East beach recently: alongside a juvenile common dolphin, there was a giant - an Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. The bluefin tuna is described by Devon Wildlife Trust as “a stunning marine animal, that leaps out of the water like a dolphin, speeds like a racehorse, and is bigger than a polar bear.” (Observer photo)

“We had some regular sightings of Atlantic bluefin tuna on our surveys throughout November 2024,” added Nadia. “Ken Barnett, a local photographer and Sea Trust volunteer, managed to get two great shots of the tuna. They’re incredibly quick and unpredictable to photograph – so this was pretty impressive!”

Ken Barnett, a local photographer and Sea Trust volunteer, managed to get two great shots of the tuna.
Ken Barnett, a local photographer and Sea Trust volunteer, managed to get two great shots of the tuna. (Ken Barnett)

The tuna and dolphin have now been collected by the Marine Environmental Monitoring organisation for further investigation of the stranding.