Paulo Alcobia Portugal indicated that the mammal, which was about nine metres in length, was in “a high state of decomposition, with parts of bones already visible”.

The dwarf whale, according to the same source, was found at around 10:30 am by workers of the National Maritime Authority's surveillance, about a kilometre north of Comporta beach, in the district of Setúbal, and was later removed from the sand by employees of the Municipality of Grândola, with the support of a machine.

Alcobia Portugal added that elements of the Institute for Nature and Forest Conservation and the University of Évora had collected information on the mammal, “for evaluation”.

According to the captain of the Port of Setúbal, the dwarf whale was later buried, in the sand area, next to the dune, near Comporta beach, due to "the difficulty of removing it from the site", with the intervention of employees and a machine.

Workers of the Setúbal Maritime Police were also involved in the operation.