A massive rotting whale carcass that washed up on a popular capital city beach, attracting sharks and hordes of onlookers, has been taken to landfill.
The stinking, dead 13-metre-long humpback whale, estimated to weigh more than 30 tonnes, was found on Perth's City Beach on Monday morning.
It was removed using a crane and truck on Thursday after a two-day salvage operation to move it from the shoreline about 1.25km to an access road.
"It's on its way to landfill where it will be buried," Town of Cambridge mayor Gary Mack told AAP on Thursday.
"We're breathing a sigh of relief that that this is over, and the staff and everyone else can get on with their lives."
Aboriginal elders kicked off the carcass removal on Wednesday with a smoking ceremony before the dead female whale, thought to be between 15 and 90 years old, was dragged up the beach and wrapped.
The operation to place the carcass in the truck initially failed when the excavator hired for the job was not strong enough to shift the massive mammal, and a crane was brought in to complete the task.
"Scientists took quite a few samples and measurements and other things that they do before the carcass was taken away," Mr Mack said.
It is not known why the whale died, he said.
City Beach remains closed to swimmers and a shark warning is in place for Perth metropolitan waters due to sightings and tagged shark detections in the area.
"We need the all clear from government regulatory agencies, Surf Lifesaving WA and the shark unit, to make sure that there are no residual sharks before we open the beach," Mr Mack said.
"Those video shots that show those three-metre sharks right in the surf break, that's a reality check for beach users."
Multiple sharks were spotted lurking near the dead whale on Monday, prompting authorities to close the beach for several kilometres in both directions amid fears a swimmer could be attacked.
That didn't stop hundreds of sightseers from flocking to the site to inspect the decomposing whale that was emitting a pungent odour.
Some took selfies, others just held their noses and stared, as video drone operators competed for airspace and local media outlets did live news crosses from the scene.
One TikToker climbed onto the dead humpback and recorded a video of himself, drawing condemnation from many in the community.
"An idiot, that was really dangerous and really irresponsible," Mr Mack said.
"He could have fallen through and not been able to get out; he could have fallen off and been in the water with the sharks, and they would have gone for him.
"Most importantly, it's offensive to do that to a deceased animal."
