PORTLAND, Ore. -- Seaside Aquarium says a newborn orca found dead on the Washington coast died of a stomach hernia and was not stillborn.
KVAL reports the 8-foot carcass washed ashore Monday near Seaview and was recovered by a wildlife officer. He transferred it to the Seaside Aquarium manager for a necropsy by marine mammal experts at Portland State University.
They'll try to determine whether the whale comes from a resident or transient pod.
The aquarium says baby orca is quite valuable for researchers. It's the first newborn killer whale to wash ashore in the area in the aquarium's 16-year involvement with the stranding network.
