Featured Image Credit: Joe Serio
Earlier this month, a humpback whale was spotted floating just off the coast of Sitka Sound Beach. Once the young-adult whale was beached, a team from the University of Alaska Southeast and members from Alaska’s Sitka Tribe appeared on the scenes to further investigate the 42-foot mammal.
A pathologist from Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services, Kathy Burek, expected that the humpback whale was more than likely hit by a ship. Burek observed that, “It had indications of hemorrhage where it had been struck and possibly carried by a ship,” she said. “So there are areas of trauma that look convincing that it had had a major blunt impact.”
With knowledge about local industries, it is somewhat safe to assume that the ship was a large vessel like a tanker, cruise ship or even a ferry. However, you know what they say about assuming. The team cannot be 100% sure about the COD due to the limited amount of time to approach the animal from the changing tides. Advanced stages of decomposition from before the humpback carcass was beached has also caused some doubt.
Apparently, whales have ear plugs, which are layers of ear wax that are formed every year. These waxy layers can be counted, similarly to growth rings in a tree’s trunk, for a more accurate estimate of the whale’s age. Burek and her team climbed into the carcass to remove the plugs and they plan on taking them back to the lab for analysis.
In another case earlier this Summer, a whale was found dead near the Baranof Islands and its stomach contents indicated that it was actually malnourished. If the blunt force trauma occurred after death, scientists are interested in knowing what this humpback whale was eating prior. Another sample will reveal if toxic algae blooms, from climate change warming the Pacific Ocean, are the culprit.
The team should have more answers in about a month.