A juvenile female fin whale measuring almost 47 feet washed up near a coastal trail in Alaska, attracting curious onlookers as wildlife biologists investigated the cause of its death. The whale, estimated to be around 1 to 3 years old, was classified as an endangered species by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Fin whales are the second-largest whale species and are threatened by various factors such as vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglements, underwater noise, and climate change.
Despite typically being found in deep offshore waters, recent high tides may have pushed the whale further into the Knik Arm in Alaska. NOAA biologists and pathologists collected samples from the whale, including skin, blubber, urine, blood, heart tissues, and baleen, to determine the cause of death. However, it can be challenging to pinpoint the exact cause due to decomposition or lack of obvious injuries.
While the investigation is ongoing, hundreds of people, including families and students, visited the site to see and touch the whale. Only Alaska Natives were allowed to take parts of the whale for subsistence purposes. Visitors like Daisy Grandlinard found the experience educational, allowing children to observe the whale up close and learn about its anatomy.
Biologists plan to let the tide move the carcass once the examination is complete. The cause of the whale’s death remains unknown, but efforts to understand and protect endangered species like fin whales continue.
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