Rare pygmy right whale put down on Kangaroo Island 'probably weaning'

Scientists say a rare pygmy right whale found stranded on a Kangaroo Island beach is likely to have been weaning.

The three-and-a-half-metre whale became stranded on Island Beach on Monday and was put down following an assessment by a vet.

Doctor Catherine Kemper from the South Australian Museum said pygmy right whales of the length discovered were usually of weaning age.

She said she would dissect the whale to try and find out why it had become stranded.

"I'm going to pick it up, put it on a big trailer and get it back, put it in our freezer and then sometime in the next month we will do a necropsy or a dissection of this animal," Dr Kemper said.

She said pygmy right whales, which were rarely seen, usually grew to about 6.5 metres.