Rare Fin Whale Washes Up on Washington Coast: What Necropsy Revealed

Published 05/06/26 at 8:55 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Bellingham, Washington) – As an unusual amount of dead gray whales hit the Oregon and Washington coastline, a different kind of whale washed up in the northern inland sea of Washington and created another branch of the story. Now, scientists have finally gotten to the necropsy and some of the findings are in. (Photos CRC)

On Monday, May 4, reports began coming in from Samish Island in the Puget Sound that a massive fin whale had washed up and was still alive. Various agencies began looking into it, including the Orca Network in northern Washington.

“As the sun set, photos were sent in confirming this was the fin whale who first seen in Washington in September,” the group said.

This one had been in the region for several months. The whale – still moving slightly – was in very shallow water and died later that morning as response teams from Cascadia Research Collective (CRC), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network were en route.

It was a 61-foot subadult male fin whale that had stranded on the island near Bellingham, estimated to be 40 tons.

CRC said its preliminary examination found the whale was malnourished and suffering from an ulcerative skin condition, the CRC said, along with severe internal injuries consistent with a live-stranding event. Biologists also documented signs of a recent entanglement and evidence of a non-lethal encounter with killer whales. See Washington Coast

“Tissue samples will be analyzed in the coming weeks and may provide more insight into causes of the overall poor condition of this whale,” CRC said.

As the group's head researcher – Jon Calombokidis put it: it had already had a rough life. The whale was battling numerous issues before this.

Fin whales typically remain offshore, and strandings in Washington are rare — only 13 have been documented since 1986, most involving otherwise healthy whales struck by large vessels. This individual had been seen repeatedly in inland waters over the past several months, prompting concern among researchers. Confirmed sightings included San Juan Island in September, Rosario Strait in January, Admiralty Inlet in early March, and Bellingham Bay through late March and April.

The Orca Network and CRC thanked residents, tribal members, and partner agencies for their roles in the response, noting the many people who had followed the whale’s movements through the Salish Sea.

“We deeply appreciate everyone who was involved in today’s response,” the organization said, acknowledging volunteers, scientists, Samish Island residents who monitored the whale, tribal members who held a ceremony after its death, and community scientists who helped track the animal over the past eight months.

From February:

Slightly Rare: Fin Whale Washes Up on N. Oregon Coast - and They Knew It Was Coming - Only 3 others have washed up since 2002; this one near Seaside, Gearhart. Video

This incident has nothing to do with the large-scale strandings of gray whales, which has meant there was a sizable die-off recently, generally due to starvation.

In spite of this, scientists did discover some good news in the whale world recently: a gray whale mom and her calf were seen off the Washington coast last week – in good condition.

 

SEE LATEST

Scientists Find First Mama Gray Whale and Calf of Migration Season Off Washington Coast - Video, First sign of good news: baby whale is plump, well fed

Orcas from This Week ID'd as Some Show Up on South Oregon Coast - Killer whales sppear around Winchester Bay, Coos Bay

Rare Fin Whale Washes Up on Washington Coast: What Necropsy Revealed - Evidence of starvation and a killer whale attack

 

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