Gray whale found dead in Possession Sound

[pscot]

The 40-foot male gray whale that had been floating dead around Saratoga Passage and Possession Sound the past three days was located Tuesday afternoon and towed to Oak Harbor for examination. The whale, first spotted Sunday morning floating on its side off the northwest section of Camano Island, was found Tuesday off the southeast tip of Camano after drifting on the tide past Langley and Hat Island.

"Right now, we have no idea about the cause of death," Garrett said.

He said it is uncertain if the whale is one of the dozen or so that regularly visit Saratoga Passage during their migration from Mexico to Canada to feed on the abundant ghost shrimp in the area. "If it isn't one of those, it would be a pretty typical occurrence for a gray whale to come in here and die, because it wouldn't know where the food is," Garrett said. "We'll just have to look at the stomach contents."

Garrett said examining a dead whale can be uncomfortable due to the intense smell caused by decomposition.

http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/whidbey/swr/news/43994922.html

This happens every year or two. One account said the whale looked like it had been chewed on by Orcas, though that probably wasn't what killed it.

[imdjh]

1. Ever watched that video of the gray mom and calf whale being attacked at Monterrey?

It was brutal. If I had been the owner of the tour boat (that the video was taken from) I think I would have tried to run off the Killa Whales.

[pscot]

2. I haven't seen that one

The one I remember is Orcas picking seal pups off a beach somewhere in the southern ocean. People around here sort of think of them as pets, which they are most definitely not.

[XemaSab]

3. The orcas have to eat too

:shrug:

[imdjh]

4. You're right

And so do lions, but if I see a baby elephant being attacked while I am on Safari, I'm going to chase them off with my Land Rover.

Besides, orcas don't have to live like savages, they can go live in nice pools and do tricks for a living. Gray whales don't have that option.