A small dead Humpback whale washed ashore in Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay Wednesday afternoon.
After coming close to shore Wednesday near Surfer’s Beach, waves pulled the whale some 300 feet back out to sea by Thursday morning, according to researchers from the California Academy of Sciences.
Large crowds gathered Wednesday evening to marvel at the massive dead marine mammal, which was reported to be around 30 feet long.
Marine biologists will investigate what caused the whale to die while authorities decide if they need to get rid of the remains.
Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center said they are waiting to see if the carcass beaches or is dragged out further out to sea before they determine the next course of action.
“The best learning opportunities are when the carcass is fresh,” said Sarah van Schagen, a spokeswoman with the center. “The more decomposed the animal, the more messy and dangerous it can become.”
Humpback whales are found this time of year off the coast of Northern California. The whales are migrating from warmer southern waters on their way to feed off the coast of Alaska during the summer, biologists said.
Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center said they were able to identify the whale as a Humpback because of the white coloring under its pectoral fin.
What’s more, researchers have an extensive backlog of photos showing distinctive markings on Humpback whales’ flukes, or tail fins. Scientists hope to identify the specific whale near Half Moon Bay, and ideally, determine its age and sex.
On Saturday, another whale, which scientists have not been able to identify because of extensive bloating, washed up in Point Loma cove near San Diego.
Scientists said there were no obvious indicators that the two whale deaths were related.
The whale that washed up at Half Moon Bay is somewhat of a rarity in that Humpback whales are not commonly seen from land. Gray whales are typically spotted close to California’s coast.
On Friday, Mike Lane posted compelling video of his encounter with a pod of gray whales while he and a friend were paddle boarding off San Francisco’s Ocean Beach
On Wednesday, Twitter user @carolsuestories snapped a picture of the bloated carcass off Half Moon Bay shortly before 7 p.m.
— CarolSueStories (@carolsuestories) May 22, 2014