Dead whale stuck on California beach could suddenly shift onto passersby, experts warn

A partially submerged dead whale is stuck near a California cliff, and experts fear the carcass could suddenly shift and injure anyone standing too close.

The juvenile whale was reported Monday, Sept. 12, in waters near downtown Fort Bragg, according to the Noyo Center for Marine Science. Fort Bragg is about 190 miles northwest of Sacramento.

It has been identified as a 26.5-foot male humpback, an endangered species that can grow to 60 feet and live 90 years, according to NOAA Fisheries. A possible cause of death has not been released.

“We urge the public never to approach a dead marine mammal, but especially one of this size,” Noyo Center officials said.

“An animal of this size partially submerged in the surf ... could shift in direction and pose a serious risk to an individual near the animal.”

The dangers are heightened in this case by the location, just “below a steep cliff,” officials said.

Center staff have visited the whale at low tide and collected data for research, but are not planning to move it off the beach.

In August, the Noyo Center tried towing a 45-foot dead sperm whale from a “cove near Mendocino Bay to a beach appropriate for a partial necropsy.” But it “lost buoyancy” and sank before reaching its destination, the center said.

Permits are required by National Marine Fisheries Service for research on stranded whales, which means any passerby who disturbs the dead humpback could be violating the law, officials said.

“Not only is it dangerous, but it is illegal under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to remove any parts of a whale unless previously authorized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin,” the center said.

The Noyo Center responds to dead marine mammals on the Mendocino Coast, from Gualala to Rockport, as part of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. The center’s research is permitted under a license with the California Academy of Sciences.

This story was originally published September 15, 2022 at 12:30 PM with the headline "Dead whale stuck on California beach could suddenly shift onto passersby, experts warn."