Footage has emerged of the carcass of a sperm whale that died after getting trapped in a cove.

The video, captured on May 15 from the top of a high cliff in the Shetland Islands, UK, shows the remains of the whale floating on the surface near the rocks.

''A report came in of a dead sperm whale trapped in a cove on the northern tip of Shetland's mainland in a very remote corner of the islands,'' the filmer later wrote online.

''Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary, which rescues, rehabilitates and releases seals and otters in Shetland, were called out to investigate by the Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme, which monitors marine mammal strandings throughout Scotland to ascertain the general health and well being of the marine environment and marine mammals in particular.''

''The male sperm whale had been dead for some time and was floating at the foot of sheer 40 metre high cliffs, so it was impossible to reach it to take samples.''

''Sperm whales occasionally strand on Shetland. The cause of death of this whale will never be known, but it will probably remain in the cove providing food for birds and marine creatures until it decomposes and sinks to the bottom of the sea,'' he added.