Sperm whale carcass washes ashore at Fort Stevens State Park
By Soyoung Kim
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OREGON (KPTV) — Officials said it is an unusual stranding of a whale on the Oregon coast and are working on finding out exactly what happened.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it is unusual for a sperm whale to be in this area during this time of year.
Many people visited the Oregon coast for a rare sight they said they didn’t want to miss.
“This is one of my most exciting days. I’ve dreamed about seeing a whale washed up since childhood,” said Amber Limb, a visitor.
“It’s a little alarming, but it’s nature, so it’s interesting,” said Kay Schilliam, another visitor.
The Coast Guard said crews received reports of a beached whale at Fort Stevens State Park just around noon on Saturday. The whale washed ashore just south of the Wreck of the Peter Iredale.
“I thought about the line from Moby Dick. Captain Ahab says a dead whale or a stowed boat, well you have both right here,” Dan Limb, a visitor said.
NOAA is the agency leading this effort. They said it was a full-grown sperm whale.
“40 to 50 feet long,” Michael Milstein, spokesperson for NOAA Fisheries, said. “They are endangered, so they are protected.”
And said it’s an unseasonable sight.
“It is a bit unusual to see a sperm whale here this time of year, so that’ll be one of the questions you know, we’re asking,” Milstein said. “Does this help us understand the population and distribution of sperm whales off the West Coast?”
Officials said they’re carefully examining multiple gashes and plan to take tissue samples.
“Is there any sign that it was hit by a ship for instance or is there some sign that it’s emaciated or unhealthy for some reason,” Milstein said.
Visitors said they’re soaking in this unique experience.
“I had to take a pause and take it all in before I started taking as many pictures as I could,” Amber said.
Officials are asking people to not get too close to the whale. They said it’s for the safety of the whale and evidence as well as for the public and pets because marine mammal carcasses could potentially carry diseases.
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