The mammal, believed to be a fin whale, washed up on Lackenakea Bay Beach near Barleycove.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) said the whale may have been dead for some time before it washed up on the beach.

It said the creature was in poor condition, with evidence of bite marks, which are suspected to be from sharks.

The whale's cause of death is unknown.

Marine biologist and IWDG volunteer Jasmine Stavenow Jerremalm told RTÉ's Morning Ireland: "When we went out to it three days ago, it had already been dead for several weeks approximately.

"It came ashore three days ago and we went out to it and we could see that it was a female fin whale.

The public has been urged to stay away from the mammal as the cause of death has not yet been determined.

Dead animals can pose a health risk so people have been asked not to get too close.

Ms Stavenow Jerremalm said that to establish the cause, a "proper post-mortem scheme with veterinary pathologists looking into the cause of death" is needed.

According to the IWDG, more than 60 fin whales have been photo identified in Irish waters to date, most of them being along the south coast.

The biggest fin whales can reach up to 89ft in length and can weigh up to 80 tonnes.

The responsibility of disposing of the whale falls to the local authority.

The IWDG's Stephanie Levesque said it is likely that Cork County Council will bury the whale close to where it was washed ashore.