Drone footage on Wednesday 25 May captured the sad scene after a whale shark was found washed up on a beach in western Indonesia.

On Tuesday, fishermen first found the 19-foot (2.8m) fish washed up and took it out to sea because it is a protected species. But despite this, it again stranded itself and died.

Footage filmed on Kincie beach, behind the Salido Community Health Center in South Pesisir regency, West Sumatra province, showed locals taking pictures with the carcass. It will be buried after being examined by authorities.

According to residents, the whale shark was found on Tuesday morning.

"At first it was live and still moving. Then fishermen brought it back to the sea, but again (it was) stranded by the waves," said Evilindo, a Salido community leader, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

The head of the Padang Coastal and Marine Resources Management Center (BPSPL), Mudatstsir, told the media, that removal of the 1.8 tonne corpse was hampered by limited equipment.

"We and the local residents made an evacuation effort according to the SOP (standard operating procedure), using a rope, but failed. So the evacuation was carried out by cutting it into several pieces," Mudatstsir said.

According to him, there are two possible causes for the stranded whales: that it was chasing food and didn't realise the danger, or that it was carried there by strong winds.

Fishermen find a whale shark washed up on Indonesia's west beach. Even though they were repeatedly brought to the sea, the protected animals because they were threatened with extinction were again stranded on the beach.

Footage filmed on Kincie beach behind the Salido Community Health Center in South Pesisir regency, West Sumatra province on May 25, shows locals taking pictures with the carcass of a whale shark that will be buried after being examined by authorities.

According to residents, the whale shark was found on Tuesday morning 24 May. "At first it was live and still moving. Then fishermen brought it back to the sea, but again stranded by the waves," Evilindo, Salido headman said.

The head of the Padang Coastal and Marine Resources Management Center (BPSPL), Mudatstsir, told the media, evacuation of a 19-feet-long whale shark carcass and weighing 1.8 tons was constrained by limited equipment.

"We and the local residents have made an evacuation effort according to the SOP, pulled with a rope, but failed. So the evacuation was carried out by cutting it into several pieces," Mudatstsir added.

According to him, there are two possible causes for the stranded whales. Because of the fun of looking for food, they don't realize they are on the beach or carried away by strong winds.