VIDEO: Floating whale carcass washes ashore on Oregon Coast

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — A dead whale that was floating off the Oregon Coast near Rockaway Beach for more than a day has washed ashore a mile north of the north Nehalem Jetty in Nehalem Bay State Park.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the dead humpback whale was spotted off the coast Sunday and was located on the beach Monday morning. Officials said the whale appears to be bloated, which means it’s likely been dead for serval days.

NOAA Fisheries spokesperson Michael Milstein told KOIN 6 News that experts will examine the dead whale later today. Milstein said that people and pets are strongly advised to keep a safe distance from the carcass.

“We are asking people to please stay away from the carcass so it remains undisturbed until our stranding team can arrive and conduct an exam,” Milstein said. “We want the best possible chance to try to determine the cause of death.”

The dead whale’s location is also a nesting area for threatened western snowy plovers, Milstein said, and beach access is limited for their protection.

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