Whale Carcass found floating by Newport officials.
(Mirror Daily, United States) – Authorities have doubled their efforts to tow a 22-ton whale carcass found floating near the Newport Coast. Lifeguards reported that the body is still away from the shore, but it is still possible that the winds will carry it closer to the beach.
According to Mike Halphide, Lifeguard Battalion Chief, the whale was 45-foot long, and it was last time seen a mile off the Newport Pier. Then, authorities were alerted to come and tow the carcass as far as possible from the shore.
They sent a rescue boat to tow the whale carcass away but even after the body was dragged 14 miles south, winds carried it again close to the beach.
Biologist identified the dead whale by the name Wally because it had been previously tracked. Monday, the lifeguards, spotted the carcass again, this time, five miles away from the shore. Halphide stated that they sent a rescues boat once again and managed to tow Wally’ around 10 miles south, hoping to remain there.
The body has remained there until now, and biologists hope that it won’t get close to the beach again. Experts target to leave the carcass to decompose in the water. Also, it can represent a good food source for predatory fish and it is a safer alternative than letting the body rot on the beach.
Lifeguards reported Tuesday around 11 a.m. that the body was still far away from the shore. Wally’s carcass was first spotted on June 30 when it appeared floating around Dockweiler State Beach in Los Angeles County.
Marine biologists have not established yet why the whale died, but after examining the body, they came to the conclusion that Wally was, in fact, a female, who got her name in August after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries division had mistakenly identified it as a male.
According to the Newport Beach lifeguards, the carcass will constantly be monitored by them to make sure that it won’t be washed ashore by the waves. There is still the risk that the whale might be carried by winds once again close to the beach.
Many other similar events occurred lately throughout the United States as at least seven whale carcasses were found on the beaches. Also, scientists were unable to establish the leading cause of these deaths. Hopefully, the situation will not become worse in the future.
Image Source:Onion Static