JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Federal officials say a humpback whale whose carcass washed up on a southeast Alaska island sustained injuries likely caused by a hit from a boat or ship.
A necropsy team for NOAA Fisheries says preliminary results from a necropsy conducted Saturday found signs of hemorrhage, bruising and a fractured skull. The agency says those are indications of trauma likely caused by a vessel strike.
Kate Savage, the lead veterinarian on the necropsy, says in a release that confirmation of the cause of death is pending lab results. She says those won’t be available for at least six months.
Samples also were taken to determine the age of the whale.
The male humpback was found on Admiralty Island, which is near Juneau and known for its bears.
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