A juvenile gray whale died shortly after it washed ashore Thursday in Ocean Shores, according to the Cascadia Research Collective.
The female whale had several fractured vertebrae, which lead researchers believe it had been struck by a boat, according to Jessie Huggins, Cascadia Research Collective stranding coordinator. It also had an infection related to its injuries and was emaciated.
The whale may have been struck three to four weeks ago, although researchers do not know what location it may have been hit.
Researchers performed a necropsy Thursday evening, because they were afraid the whale may disappear with the tide, according to Huggins.
Huggins said it was one of the fresher necropsies researchers have been able to perform, and the samples will help scientists with a variety of studies.
Whale strandings are cyclical and depend on the species, Huggins said. Humpback whale strandings are within the normal range this year, and gray whale strandings are on the higher end of normal this year.
“Nothing to cause alarm yet,” Huggins said.
