A 46-foot whale carcass washed up on the Oregon coast this week with multiple injuries, but an investigation revealed the injuries likely did not kill the mammal. officials said.
The carcass of an endangered fin whale was found stranded at Sunset Beach State Park on Monday, appearing to be “emaciated and emaciated,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. said in a press release.
Scientists believe the subadult man likely died from underlying health conditions, but further tests are needed to determine which disease caused his death.
“Although the whale came ashore entangled, the injuries from the entanglement appear to be fresh and superficial,” NOAA said in a statement. “The research team also recorded scars caused by killer whales called ‘rake marks.'”
When the whale first washed ashore on Monday, NOAA asked passersby not to touch the carcass.
“The best way to find out what happened to this endangered species is to examine the carcass, but any disturbance or contact with the carcass undermines that chance,” the agency said.
On Tuesday, a team released the gas accumulated from the decomposition of a fin whale at the Seaside Aquarium to prevent it from exploding. staff told oregonlive.com. The whales stayed where they were because, strangely enough, it was good for the environment around them.
“It may sound strange, but the nutritional benefits are amazing,” Seaside Aquarium spokeswoman Tiffany Booth told the publication. “They provide large amounts of food for eagles and other scavengers.”
He also warned beachgoers not to touch the carcass to avoid diseases the whale may have suffered from.
This is the first time in at least a decade that a fin whale has become stranded on the Oregon coast, NOAA spokesman Michael Milstein told oregonlive.com.
