KwaDukuza Municipality firefighters failed to pull a humpback whale's carcass off Boulders beach after battling with the massive sea creature the whole day on Tuesday.

By midday locals had come out in numbers to watch the giant mammal's remains perplex firefighters and other municipal employees who had been on the beach trying to shift it since 6am.

The adult whale was dead when it washed up on the beach on Saturday morning.

Several locals, apparently traditional healers, had already cut chunks off the whale to take home to use for medicine.

Municipal director for civil engineering Nollie Rabie said staff had three options in removing the whale.

"We had the options of blasting the animal here at the beach, but getting a permit for that was going to take too long. It was also going to be expensive to get a tug boat to pull the animal out to sea.

Article Continues: IOL