Fishery officials say a humpback whale found dead on the west side of Admiralty Island last week might have been killed in a collision with a ship. Marine mammal specialist Aleria Jensen says a necropsy performed Friday found significant bruising and hemorrhaging, suggesting blunt trauma to its head. But she says officials may never pinpoint the cause of death. The whale was found dead last Wednesday with a hugely bloated tongue, leading to speculation it had died from an infection. The necropsy results are due back in about a month.
Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage