Is it just me or did someone send out a memo that every incident with an endangered whale be released in the media? Maybe I'm just noticing it like when you get a new car and suddenly everyone on the freeway has your same car.In any event, the second largest whale after the Blue Whale is the Fin (or Finback Whale). One of these beasties recently washed ashore in Seattle, Washington apparently a victim of being struck by a large ship. The fin whale is on the endangered species list and the International Whaling Commission put a ban on them in 1966.
Finbacks can grow to over 80 feet in length although this poor soul had only gotten to 56 feet (unless of course you believe the news story which printed 567 feet - that would be newsworthy). These whales are known for their speed (23 MPH), can dive to 1,800 feet, and spend most of their time in the open ocean, rarely venturing close to land. This suggests the dead finback may have been feeding in shipping lanes which is unusual unless, of course, you're hungry and looking for food.
I should mention the photo is not of the actual whale carcass since it washed up on Indian Reservation land which is closed to the public. It's of a fin whale that stranded in France (scroll down...keep going) in 2003.
[Via Underwater Times]
