A young humpback whale that washed ashore in Neskowin this week likely died from starvation, according to marine biologist Carrie Newell of Depoe Bay, who shared details in Facebook posts.
Newell, who owns Whale Research Eco Excursions, said the whale was about 28 to 29 feet long with an 8½-foot tail fluke — smaller than the 12-foot span typical of adults. She estimated the whale was roughly two years old and likely came ashore sometime Sunday or early Monday.
Photos taken Monday by Gregory Miller, a volunteer with Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Stranding Network, show the whale lying partly on its side near the surf line. Newell said the whale’s emaciated condition suggested it hadn’t been able to find enough food.
Jim Rice of Newport, who leads the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, said in Facebook posts that he collected tissue samples Tuesday and that the whale “probably died only a day or so before it was reported on Monday.” Rice said lab tests should help confirm whether starvation or another factor caused its death.
Newell said she spent several hours at the beach talking with visitors who stopped to see the animal.
Another whale, badly decomposed, washed ashore north of Florence last week — the second stranding reported on the central Oregon coast in a matter of days.
- Mark Graves/The Oregonian/OregonLive
