The Thames whale

Scientists have revealed what was wrong with the whale that became stranded in the middle of central London in January.

The six-year-old bottlenose - affectionately named Wally the Whale - was apparently suffering from a form of arthritis when she swam 40 miles up the Thames.

The nation's attention was held as rescuers attempted to save the four-tonne animal as she became beached on the banks of the river.

Scientists studying her remains say the northern bottlenose was suffering from an agonising joint disease in the neck.

Natural History Museum mammals curator Richard Sabin has spent eight months preserving the bones, but says studies are still in their preliminary stages.

He said: "We found pitting on her atlas vertebra, which joins her spine to her skull.

"It's a degenerative joint disease which in humans is called arthritis.

"It could have caused her considerable pain."

The bones are not currently on display to the public, but are being stored at the Natural History Museum's warehouse in south London.

from msn.com