An endangered fin whale whose carcass washed ashore in San Diego's Pacific Beach had bite marks from killer whales over its body, which may have led to its death, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Photos released by the agency show up-close shots of the female juvenile's 52-foot-long body with zig-zag and striped scars on her fins and other areas of the body.
NOAA researchers originally thought the bite marks could have been from sharks, but later confirmed with the help of experts that the scars were "'rake marks' and they are considered a killer whale signature," Michael Milstein, a NOAA spokesperson said.
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While orcas may have been a contributing factor in the fin whale's death, NOAA couldn't confirm that it was the ultimate cause.
"There have been other documented cases where orcas chased fin whales that beached themselves while trying to escape," Milstein said.
A group of about a dozen killer whales have been spotted up and down the coast of Southern California, NOAA said, including in San Diego where boaters captured video of a pod of orcas chasing and likely feasting on dolphins near Torrey Pines.
A whale is shown on Pacific Beach in San Diego after washing ashore, Dec. 10, 2023.
The whale carcass washed ashore on Dec. 10, 2023, and lifeguards spent the day working to tow the mammal out to sea. The body returned at least once
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The whale appeared to be bleeding from its side. Lifeguards attempted to tow the whale back out to the ocean by connecting its tail to a small boat, but it was unsuccessful.
The fin whale is the second-largest whale species on earth, behind only the blue whale. They are also considered endangered and are, “fairly rare,” according to Milstein. This whale could weigh up to 100,00 pounds.
Milstein said they appreciate people reporting this to the NOAA stranding line. If you come across a stranded or injured marine mammal, you can learn how to report it here.
