 |
Friday, May 6, 2005
Gray whale apparently had starved
A young female gray whale that died after swimming beneath a pier at Naval Base Kitsap near Bremerton apparently starved to death, scientists said, but more laboratory tests will help determine any underlying health problems.
Scientists gathered on a Puget Sound beach near the base yesterday to examine the animal. The necropsy, which lasted just over four hours, confirmed researchers' initial findings that the whale had been in poor health.
"It does not look like it had been feeding recently (based on) stomach and intestinal contents," said John Calambokidis, a scientist with Olympia-based Cascadia Research. The non-profit research institute performed the exam.
There were no other obvious injuries except for a few scrapes and scratches the 2 1/2-year-old whale likely suffered when she swam among cement pilings at the base, Calambokidis said.
Additional lab results aren't expected for several weeks.
The whale is the third to die this season. With each, Calambokidis noted, scientists have been fortunate to recover and examine the animals within a few days of discovery.
"That's extremely unusual," he said. "In most cases, animals have been dead many weeks, precluding the ability to look at pathology microscopically."
The 9-ton, 30-foot whale died early Wednesday after she was spotted among pilings the night before.
After yesterday's necropsy, the whale was to be disposed of at sea, weighed down with concrete blocks.
My web site
My Yahoo!
Google
 Day in Pictures Indonesia's Independence Day and more |
 Worst spot in your yard Advice on replacing groundcovers |
 Rainn Wilson On Dwight, 'The Rocker' and more Photo gallery |
· Primary's message: Here we go again
· Democrats tops in two Seattle districts
· Bergeson likely faces runoff for schools job
· ‘Top two’ restores calm to election offices
· Across state, Dino shows his other side
· Summer under suspension
· County reports first case this year of West Nile virus in a person
· Hantavirus suspected in police officer's death
· 'Car sharing' vehicles could get more parking spots
· Fired Seattle police officer getting job back
· Ex-Alabama cop arrested here on child rape, porn charges
· 3-year prison term for arson at UW
more· Wash. primary results no surprise
· Gregoire, Rossi advance in Wash. "top two" primary
· Justices Fairhurst, Johnson unopposed in November
· New wildfire burns in Wash's Lincoln County
· GOP Reichert, Democrat Burner advance in 8th Dist.
more· Reno fire marshal: Same conditions caused losses
· Wyo. tribe mourns 3 teens, loss of cultural ties
· Obama bids for Western votes as key to victory
· Rescue ranch operator pleads guilty to cruelty
· 6 homes burn in Reno brush fire
more
The Big BlogBy Monica Guzman and other P-I editors and staff
· Another city with marijuana issues: Denver to allow marijuana during Democratic convention?
· Joe Shikany R.I.P.
· Water for gas system: Good marketing, shoddy science
Strange BedfellowsP-I staff on Seattle politics
· The primary - analysis
· It's 2004 all over again...
· Partisan offices in King County
Seattle Real Estate NewsWith the P-I's Aubrey Cohen
· Appraisals gone bad
· Big mortgages to get lower rates
· Green house near Green Lake
Seattle TrafficBy Reporter Larry Lange and other P-I staff
· Overnight closures of 520 Bridge Thursday
· A different twist: fencing the Aurora Bridge
· Occasional closures next week on U.S. Highway 2
101 Elliott Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 448-8000
Home Delivery: (206) 464-2121 or (800) 542-0820
seattlepi.com serves about 1.7 million unique visitors
and 30 million page views each month.
Send comments to newmedia@seattlepi.com
Send investigative tips to iteam@seattlepi.com
©1996-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
