Animal protection organisation SOS Dolfijn has urged whale spotters to stop bothering the beluga which has been swimming off the coast of the Netherlands over the past few days.

People who are taking boats out or sending up drones are distressing the animal, and should back off, the organisation said. Instead, enthusiasts should “enjoy this unique moment from the beach”, according to spokesman Jeroen Hoekendijk.

The beluga put in a rare appearance some 10 days ago and has been around since then. It was last spotted between Egmond and Castricum.

SOS Dolfijn denied that their own publicity around the animal is boosting nuisance filming. “We know that this sort of thing gets out anyway and we prefer to inform people how to observe the animal in the right way,” Hoekendijk told local media.

The last time a white whale visited Dutch shores was in 1984. The waters of the Arctic and sub-Arctic around Russia, Canada, Alaska and Greenland form its usual habitat.