An endangered fin whale washed up near a coastal path in Alaska's largest city has attracted curious onlookers as biologists search for answers about what caused the animal's death.
The body found over the weekend near Anchorage was 47 feet (14.3 meters) long — about the width of a college basketball court — and was female, according to biologists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Barbara Mahoney, the NOAA biologist who examined the whale, told the Anchorage Daily News that the whale was likely 1 to 3 years old.
According to NOAA Fisheries, the fin whale is the second largest whale species, and can grow up to 85 feet long when fully grown and weigh between 40 tons and 80 tons. attacks by shipsin confusion fishing gearUnderwater noise and its effects Climate change According to the agency, these are among the threats fin whales face.
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NOAA marine mammal stranding coordinator Mandy Keogh said fin whales are not typically seen so close to Anchorage and recent high tides may have pushed the animal further into Knik Arm.
People waded across the mud to view the whale, which was beached Sunday by NOAA biologists and Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services staff so they could collect samples from the animal. But even after samples are analyzed, it can be difficult to determine the cause of death due to the lack of decomposition or obvious injuries, Keogh said.
Daisy Grandlinard was among the parents who accompanied a group of children to see the whales on Monday. As he came closer, he said, he could smell it.
He said, “It was really interesting for the kids to feel it, to touch the bottom of it because it kind of had tracks on it, almost like a sled. And to see the shape of it, it was great.” “We had just studied whales a few weeks earlier, so it was fun to see someone in person and say, 'Oh, this is what the whale looks like in real life,' and 'Where's the blow hole?' ,
Biologists hope to complete their work Tuesday, uncovering the carcass and “letting the tide push it or move it,” Mahoney said. “Whatever it does or doesn't do – we don't know.”
according to NOAAThe whaling industry killed approximately 725,000 fin whales in the Southern Hemisphere alone in the mid-1900s. Today, where are the biggest threats to this species coming from? ship attack,
Other fin whales have washed up on the coast of the western US this year. In August, a large fin whale washed ashore in Southern California and died before rescuers could reach the scene, CBS Los Angeles informedThe whale, which was not fully grown, was believed to be in poor health due to visible bumps on its skin and a thin texture, officials said.
A 46 foot long whale was found in February washed On the Oregon coast – emaciated, matted and covered with killer whale wounds.