Conservation organizations investigate endangered fin whale death

Researchers examining the beached fin whale

Photos courtesy of Marine Mammal Care Center

A 51 ft endangered male fin whale washed ashore in Torrance, California on the evening of August 10, 2024.¹ The juvenile whale was alive when it beached before passing about 2 and a half hours later.¹ Ocean Animal Response and Research Alliance in Los Angeles (OARRA), Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Orange County (PMMC), and Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles (MMCCLA) have since come together, performing a necropsy to determine the animal’s cause of death.¹

The whale stranded on the beach at approximately 5:30 pm on Saturday, August 10.¹ Los Angeles County Lifeguards were onsite, ensuring the safety of the hundreds of bystanders that had gathered. MMCCLA staff arrived on scene to communicate what was happening with the public. The whale passed at around 8:00 pm.¹

Researchers and Los Angeles County Lifeguards with the 51 ft whale

“Fin whales are an endangered species and, as such, don’t strand often, especially not so soon after passing,” Keith Matassa, CEO of OARRA said in a news release.¹ “What we learn from the unfortunate passing of this whale will be invaluable. It will help us to tell this whale’s story in service to other whales living today.”

On the morning of August 11, Matassa worked with Alissa Deming, DVM, vice president of Conservation Medicine and Science at PMMC, in addition to Lauren Palmer, DVM, Tammy Da Costa Gomez, DVM, DACVS (SA), and Mattison Peters, DVM, MPH, of MMCCLA on the beginning stages of the necropsy.¹ The group began a careful examination and sample collection from the whale.

“PMMC was honored to support this collaborative effort with the goal of learning as much as possible from this animal,” Deming said of the necropsy.¹ “Our team, alongside our LA partners at OARRA and MMCCLA, collected invaluable samples and data that wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing support from LA County Lifeguards and Beaches and Harbors.”

Fin whales are considered endangered by the Endangered Species Act and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.² They are the second-largest species of whale, only smaller than the blue whale. Like all large whales, they used to be prime targets for commercial whalers, until whaling ended in the 1970s and 1980s. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the biggest threats to fin whales today are vessel strikes, followed by entanglement in fishing gear, ocean noise, and climate change.²

“Whales are magnificent creatures, and the circumstances of this stranding are very sad,” John Warner, CEO of MMCCLA said. “As sad as the death of a whale is, it offers a rare opportunity for researchers to gather valuable data that can help us protect these animals as their populations recover. We are grateful to everyone involved, including LA County Lifeguards, Bay Watch, Coast Guard, LA County Beaches and Harbors, Cabrillo Aquarium, and members of the public that gathered to pay their respects to this magnificent animal.”

The organizations collaboration was coordinated through the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The NOAA (Permit No. 24359) has built a network of conservation organizations to respond to stranded marine mammals in California. MMCCLA, PMMC, and OARRA, are among the organizations included in the network.¹

The results and findings of the necropsy will be used to better understand the threats that fin whales face, and conclusions will be shared with policymakers. Researchers at OARRA and PMMC will test and analyze the samples taken during the necropsy, and the organizations will release a full report of their findings once the data has been processed and reviewed.¹

References

1. Southern California Conservation Organizations Join Forces to Determine the Cause of Death of Endangered Fin Whale. News release. Business Wire. August 15, 2024. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240815755400/en/Southern-California-Conservation-Organizations-Join-Forces-to-Determine-the-Cause-of-Death-of-Endangered-Fin-Whale
2. Fin Whale. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/fin-whale