Yesterday, I drove down to Bean Hollow State Beach (just south of Pescadero Beach at 37.227072, -122.410529) to see the dead 80-foot blue whale that washed ashore last Tuesday. Scientists found at least three fractured vertebrae and hemorrhaging in the whale’s belly, concluding that she may have died as a result of a strike from a large boat. A 6-month old fetus was ejected at some point during the last moments of the whale’s life and was found not far from its 75-ton mother. The baby was pure white — beautiful, really, and a stark contrast to the black rocks upon which it rested...
The carcass of a dead 80-foot blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) in northern California. Scientists suspect the whale was struck by a large boat before beaching itself. The whale ejected a fetus before she died. The fetus was on the beach not far from the mother.
A 6-month old blue whale fetus lies in the rocks at Bean Hollow State Beach
More images here:
http://echeng.com/journal/2010/10/11/dead-...le-boat-strike/
I saw Jason Bradley there, who was there during early morning light. I'm sure his images are great.
In response to these dead whale image, Howard Hall sent me a RED frame grab of a blue whale. INCREDIBLE. I hope he posts a video short.
