Tests have been carried out into why a harbour porpoise came to be washed up on Porthleven Beach on Saturday missing its head and tail fins.

A member of the public phoned the Cornwall Wildlife Trust to report the finding, with the mammal discovered at the bottom of the slipway leading down to the beach below Porthleven Institute clock tower.

The trust sent one of the hundreds of trained volunteers with the Marine Strandings Network to carry out investigations on the porpoise.

Abby Crosby, a marine conservation officer with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, described the mammal as “badly scavenged,” although this was not uncommon.

Due to the condition of the carcass it was not possible to carry out a post mortem on the animal, but photographs were taken and observations carried out, which will be compiled into a report.

From this the trust can look at whether pollution played a factor, whether litter or plastic played a part, whether it had parasites or was suffering from any obvious signs of disease.

Ms Crosby added: “Of course sadly a lot of these animals do wash up due to accidental by-catch, where they are accidently caught in fishing nets at sea.

“That’s something no one wants to happen, fishermen or public, so the Cornwall Wildlife Trust has been spending a lot of time over the past few years investigating how we can reduce by catch of the fishing community.”

The specific factors into the death of the porpoise found on Saturday are not yet known. After tests were concluded the porpoise was tagged and then left on the beach, as it is the responsibility of the beach owner to remove any carcasses found.

Ms Crosby encouraged any members of the public who found wildlife washed up on the beach, whether it be sea birds, dolphins, seals or any other creature, to call the trust’s 24-hour hotline on 0345 2012626.