Officials try for a third time to sink a dead whale that washed ashore in Malibu twice.
By Kim Devore / Staff Writer
Disposing of a 70-foot blue whale carcass is turning into a titanic task for lifeguards and coastal organizations. The dead whale has been carted out to sea two different times since it was initially found floating in the waters off the coast of Santa Barbara on Sept. 22.
Officials first towed it out to sea hoping it would sink, but instead it washed up near Broad Beach on Sept. 29. The creature’s carcass was towed out again, but reappeared last Thursday on a stretch of sand near Malibu Road.
“We just wish the damned thing would sink,” National Marine Fisheries wildlife biologist Joe Cordaro said to the Associated Press. “It’s the same old whale. It just won’t sink.”
Photographer Jeff Cohen, who came across the carcass last week, said the odor was overpowering. “I went to take the dog for a walk and it really smelled. There was a rope around it and it looked like there were bite marks from scavengers.”
Los Angeles County lifeguards then made a third attempt to get rid of the rotting mass of flesh and towed it 20 miles offshore.
The mammal was one of three blue whales that have died recently off the California coast. Scientists initially thought that neurotoxins may have played a part in the deaths, but have ruled out domoic acid poisoning. Domoic acid has been linked to the deaths of dolphins and sea lions in the past and was especially prevalent this past summer. Scientists speculated that the whales may have died after being hit by ships out at sea. They are unable to say what caused the three animals to get in harm’s way. Two of the whales were found to have numerous broken bones, which supports the theory that ships killed the animals.
“It’s something that’s going to happen periodically,” said Aquarium of the Pacific Curator Dudley Wigdahl. “Blue whales tend to follow their food source and if it’s in a shipping lane, there are going to be encounters. If they come up against a container ship, they are going to lose that battle.”
But California Costal Commissioner and Malibu resident Sara Wan said there is more to the story than just how to dispose of a whale that’s been hit by a ship.
“We have three dead whales. It’s simple to say ship strikes. The question is why,” she said. “We can’t continually allow this to happen. You either have to slow down the ships or change the shipping lanes. The other thing that comes to mind is: were there any contributing factors? Ship strikes can occur if a whale is impacted by sound. These are questions that need to be answered.”
Two of the endangered mammals reportedly died just a few days before Navy training exercises got underway near San Clemente Island on Sept. 11. Even so, a zoologist at the Museum of Natural History in Santa Barbara has “completely ruled out” sonar used in Navy training as a factor.