Whale beached in Ocean Shores died from blunt force trauma

Published 5:56 am Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Associated Press

OCEAN SHORES — A female humpback whale found beached in Ocean Shores on Monday appears to have died after suffering blunt force trauma consistent with a ship strike, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The 30.5-foot-long juvenile whale was in “good nutritional condition,” according to NOAA spokesperson Michael Milstein.

The cause of death was “blunt force trauma consistent with a ship strike.”

More information on the whale’s death is expected to be released this week.

Earlier in July, a humpback whale was reportedly struck by a state ferry in Puget Sound. That whale was not immediately found.