The whale L112 after it washed up near Long Beach, Washington as scientists prepared to examine the orca's remains.
credit:
Courtesy Cascadia Research
SEATTLE — Officials have launched an investigation into the death of a young female orca from a pod of the endangered marine mammals in Puget Sound.
The orca washed up near Washington’s Long Beach in February.
Preliminary reports suggest the whale suffered extensive hemorrhaging in the soft tissues of the chest, head and right side of her body.
That has some orca experts suspecting the injuries may be from an underwater explosion or other human activity.
Now, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement has launched an investigation.
“The toughest part of conducting an investigation like that is proving the actual violation. When you have a dead marine mammal there’s very little information.” says Vicki Nomura. She is heading the effort for NOAA.
L112 may have been dead for a week before she came ashore. That makes it difficult to pinpoint where she was when she died.
The Navy is permitted to conduct missile practice in it’s training range off the Northwest coast – an area where orcas are known to spend time.
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