Researchers will study dead whale in "The Hamptons" (from ATSNN)

On Sunday April 3, 2005 a 60 foot fin whale washed up on the shore of beach in Southampton, New York. There doesn't seem to be an obvious reason for the cause of death. But they believe the whale has been dead for around 2 weeks and the Riverhead Marine Research and Preservation Foundation will be doing a necropsy on Wednesday to try to determine the cause of death.



We went down to the beach to see this tonight. There is nothing obvious that gives any clues to the cause of death. They are discussing either towing the whale out to sea or burying it where it is.

I don't know how long it will be viable to tow it out to sea if it has been dead for that length of time (although it actually didn't smell too bad yet-- but I don't want to be around when the experts cut into it) And if they bury it in the sand in April I would think that it would still be decaying when beach season starts here. Somehow I doubt that 60 tons worth of whale decays quickly. I don't think I would want to plant my umbrella anywhere near that. I also wouldn't want to own the house that is right behind it. Imagine having a multi-million dollar house that you can't sit on your ocean front deck.

Related News Links:
www.news12.com

[edit on 5-4-2005 by justme1640]

[edit on 5-4-2005 by justme1640]

I know this going to come across bad, but - - -

So what on the whale. The NEWS is the waste of tax dollar$

study how to improve housing or something meaningful. Whales have been floating up on beaches for centuries.

Yeah, they'll find some organism- wow, some new 'potential threat' will pop and die.

Good find.

Hope the research proceeds - there is a lot of evidence that something is killing marine mammals along with other animals. Bout time some definitive research was done.

...FYI JoeDoaks - everything in our world is interconnected - and the same diseases and contaminations often impact both people and animals - so understanding what's killing animals (and how) can lead to a better understanding of human disease.

I also wouldn't want to own the house that is right behind it. Imagine having a multi-million dollar house that you can't sit on your ocean front deck.

Well...I think I'd still want to own that house....In the meantime I'd just retreat to one of my other multi-million dollar homes

I agree that there is a great deal to learn from these beachings....When a living organism of that size is washed up dead with no visible signs of cause of death, it should worry people....If not for the reasons you've mentioned above soficrow, then out of just plan interest.....

Leaving near a beach myself, however, I have seen these things happen before....They're usually contributed to bizarre weather patterns or extremely low tides....

The necropsy will be done tomorrow morning from what I hear -- I think it will be interesting to learn what happend also.

One thing to remember is that if we are polluting the oceans and waterways to the extent it is killing whales and seals (in other areas) it will come back to haunt us. We haven't had any extreem low tides but we did have a pretty cold winter.

here is a link with some information on the fin back whale
www.acsonline.org...


edited to add -- if someone can help me I have some pictures I took of the whale

[edit on 5-4-2005 by justme1640]

soficrow posted
...FYI JoeDoaks - everything in our world is interconnected - and the same diseases and contaminations often impact both people and animals - so understanding what's killing animals (and how) can lead to a better understanding of human disease.

O.K., so? How much money ($$$) tax payer dollar$ are going to be WAISTED cutting up 52 tons of muscle and blubber (guess at weight) are going to be autopsied?

There was no apparently obvious cause of death.

(from story URL)
What, do suspicion of 'foul play?'

To follow your logic (soficrow) an tax payer paid autopsy should be perfomed on every wild thing that dies and is discovered?

fishes,
birds,
deer,
coyotes

How long is this list?

I think it's a waste. Throw some big hooks in that carcass, tow it out 50 miles and let it rot.

*ps- justme if you didn't get help U2U me
.

.

Here is my amatur pictures of the whale -- with lots of thanks to EnronOutrunHomerun.





joe -- the research facility that is doing the necropsy is a local acquarium that has the research as part of it. I'm not sure how much government money will go to it -- but I am sure that the federal guy who was guarding it was paid by tax dollars.

I do think that is is important to learn what we can from this -- Much garbage has been dumped offshore and everyone should be aware of the dangers continued dumping presents.

did the preview of the post and the pics work -- THANKS EnronOutrunHomerun -- you are a genius I swear.

edited to change the word deer to whale -- lack of sleep makes you lose brain cells.

[edit on 5-4-2005 by justme1640]

Great pics

Aquarium will get publicity= up $

Good for them.

deer/whale, see what i mean? Where is the difference?

Anyway, I'm not in charge and the whale autopsy will hopefully bring some knowledge not otherwise available.

I just hope they don't try to blow it up.

Anyone remember the time a giant whale washed up on the beach, and the local genius, whoever he was, decided to stuff it full of dynamite and blow it to bits? They thought it would disintergrate the wale, instead it just spread huge chunks of it all over the beach and sent the crows scurrying away from 50-60 pound chunks of blubber raining down for hundreds of yards in every direction.

And on top of that, most of the whale was left intact and rotting on the beach.

Or, there was the time when they were transporting a dead whale through a city in Japan (I think) and the built up gasses erupted the thing all over a busy downtown street...

hehehe

Let's hope they avoid those mistakes. But I don't think burying it in the sand is any better. They should tow it, or maybe butcher it and haul it away in dump trucks to rot at the landfill where the smell won't matter so much.

WyrdeOne says
Let's hope they avoid those mistakes. But I don't think burying it in the sand is any better. They should tow it, or maybe butcher it and haul it away in dump trucks to rot at the landfill where the smell won't matter so much.

NOOOOOO!!!!! The landfill is directly next to the Rec. Center I go to -- UGH. Personally I am hoping for towing it out to sea -- but it would have to go quite a ways out so it won't wash back up again.

I remember both of those occasions you mentioned -- I sure hope they are more on the ball with this. Exploding whale -- not pretty ...........

Justme, you took some great pictures.
That is one whale of a whale. I don't think I'd want him in my backyard.
You will be posting the autopsy results, right? Maybe it died of old-age?

I'm really interested in the results of the necropsy and will post anything I hear. I imagine it will take a bit of time for them to release any information though. I'll also let everyone know what they decide to do with the remains and if the Shinnecocks get any of the whale for their museum.

I'd like to know if it has died for the same reasons the other beachings of whales have died. Also a little over 2 weeks ago was the big quake in indonesia. I don't see how that might affect a whale up near New York.

[edit on 5-4-2005 by Ycon]

Thread stealer

Why you little

Originally posted by Croat56
Thread stealer

Why you little

This was voted down from ATSNN. Maybe the threads should be merged by a mod.

Originally posted by sardion2000

Originally posted by Croat56
Thread stealer

Why you little

This was voted down from ATSNN. Maybe the threads should be merged by a mod.

I should get the credit I started this whole thing.

Originally posted by Croat56
[I should get the credit I started this whole thing.

Has happened to others as well.

I know this is no consolation BUT the news story was a lot more 'fleshy'

The whale was a female and at 60 feet was considered large for a female. The necropsy was done and the whale was taken further up the beach (away from the water) and buried in a LARGE hole. Also the Shinnecock Nation requested the tail, fin, and baleen which have been frozen until the Federal Government approves giving them to the Shinnecocks for them to put in their museum. When the necropsy results are out I will post the results.

I said I would follow up with info as learned -- they believe the whale was hit by a ship while it was feeding (it had a stomach full of partially digested fish) there was a lot of bruising and injury on the right side of the whale that didn't show on the outside but apparently was quite extensive internally. And they are feeling that was the cause of death. That is the preliminary report.

Also the Shinnecocks will be able to keep the baleen but the fins and tail were being stored by someone who can't continue to store it until the Federal government gives an ok for them to keep them It would take 3 or 4 weeks more for that to be decided.