A 38-foot female gray whale washed ashore at Dockweiler State Beach, raising concerns among marine mammal advocates. Keith Matassa of the Ocean Animal Response and Research Alliance is conducting a necropsy to determine the cause of death. Initial signs indicate the whale was underweight and had an abnormal amount of whale lice. Marks on her body suggest prior injuries, including possible ship strikes. John Warner from the Marine Mammal Care Center expressed deep emotional loss over the incident, highlighting the significance of gray whales' migratory journeys and their special connection to people.
Every mortality is a tragedy, but each mortality has a story to tell us all about the animal, about the ocean and the environment.
Whales hold a very special place in our hearts and in our imaginations. When we see them not being in the water and not frolicking... it's nothing short of devastating.
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