Scientists investigating deaths of whales along Oregon, California
FLORENCE, Ore. -- A malnourished gray whale washed up on the Oregon Coast just north of where a dead fin whale came ashore in March, and authorities in California are investigating two whales found dead along the Pacific Coast.
Jim Rice with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network cautioned against reading anything into the death of a gray whale just north of Heceta Head. Crews buried the whale in the sand on Friday.
In March, a massive fin whale came ashore just south of Heceta Head. That whale was buried in the sand, too.
"I think the only thing that links this whale to the fin whale is that it's two whales within the same general location within a relatively short period of time," Rice said. "I would assume it's a coincidence and there's nothing more to it than that.
"Certainly if we get more whales in the next month or two," he added, "it will raise questions further."
Rice said the Oregon Coast is like a highway for gray whale migration. Thousands of gray whales are passing along the coast right now.
The 43-foot long adult female (at right) washed ashore on Thursday, just a mile north of where a rare fin whale washed ashore in March.
Another fin whale was found dead Friday. A person on a ship discovered the dead 60-foot fin whale Friday in Los Angeles Harbor.
The National Marine Fisheries Service arranged for the carcass to be transported to a pier.
San Diego County sheriff's Lt. Jenene Milakovich says a beach-goer spotted a carcass of a 20-foot whale on a beach in Del Mar on Friday.
Federal marine scientists took photographs in hopes of identifying the type of whale and determining its cause of death as sheriff's deputies and lifeguards pushed the carcass out to sea.
"It's rare to find a fresh, dead animal on the beach," Rice said of the gray whale near Heceta Head. "You're probably thinking, you just had one wash up a month ago on the other side of Heceta Head, but it is unusual to find a fresh, dead animal on the beach. Most cases, we find a dead whale on the beach, it's been dead for days, if not weeks, and it's really decomposed quite a bit. This is a fresh animal, and it gave us the opportunity to get some fresh tissues which is a very good opportunity for us scientifically."
The Associated Press and CBS News contributed to this report
