Decaying whale found on ship bow near Port of Tacoma
TACOMA - Marine mammal experts are working to determine how a decaying whale died after it arrived Monday on the bow of a cargo vessel near the Port of Tacoma.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) confirmed with FOX 13 Seattle that marine mammal experts responded to the report Monday. The whale was decaying in Commencement Bay and the Port of Tacoma.
According to WDFW, responders coordinated to secure the decaying mammal to ensure protection of Port operations.
The whale is being relocated by a contractor to a necropsy site on McNeil Island, the former territorial and federal penitentiary that now serves as the state's civil commitment and treatment facility for violent sex offenders.
A necropsy is a post-mortem surgical examination, or animal autopsy, performed specifically on non-human carcasses to determine the cause of death.
The necropsy is planned for Wednesday with a partnership between WDFW and West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
(FOX 13 Seattle)
Experts estimate the whale is 60-to-70 feet long but will better examine the whale once its body is on shore. More information will be provided on the gender and species of the whale along with the potential cause of death.
According to the Northwest Seaport Alliance, the carcass on the bow of an evergreen vessel arrived at the port Monday. It is not yet confirmed if the vessel struck the whale.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Northwest Seaport Alliance.
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