South Seattle: Dead Whale Found On Beach (VIDEO)

A dead whale, a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) was found on a beach in Burien, Washington, South of Seattle, on Saturday, April 13, 2013. Only the front half of the carcass was intact, as it appeared to have been torn in half by a massive ship.

Fin whales are the second largest animals on Earth, behind only blue whales. The mammals are capable of swimming in 23 mph bursts as they hunt krill and small fish. According to the report from the Cascadia Research, most of the organs and backbone of the whale were missing, and the scientists estimated the animal was over 65 feet in length before it was killed in a collision with a ship. Fin whales are rarely seen in Puget Sound, although they do occasionally make their way into the area. Ten fin whales have been washed ashore in Washington since 2002 – 8 of which were killed by boats.

VIDEO