Whale Washed Up On Shore In Argentina; What Killed 52-Foot Sperm Whale?

Argentine environmental officials have announced that a dead whale was discovered in the state of Rio Negro. The 52-foot sperm whale, which weighs between 30 to 40 tons, was found on a beach in the city of El Condor, located in the Patagonian province by fisherman last Friday.

According to Rio Negro Environment and Sustainable Development Secretariat spokesman Lucas Albornoz, the fishermen who made the discovery contacted marine biologists that work in the area. Albornoz further added that the whale was beached a little over three miles from a lighthouse in an area with cliffs.

Fundacion Cethus biologists are currently trying to find out of the cause of death and believe the whale died roughly two weeks ago. Experts are slated to arrive in the next few days and the marine biologists intend to work with them to discuss how and why the whale died.

Currently, the main goal is to remove the remains of the whale as they currently pose a huge public health concern. But the Environment and Sustainable Development Secretariat has revealed that they do not have a plan on how to get rid of the remains. The do; however, plan to preserve the whale's skeleton for educational purposes.

Removing the remains of the whale is a crucial concern, no doubt, since decomposition of the carcass will produce methane gas, which will bloat the whale to twice its size and cause it to explode. In fact, last year a sperm whale washed up on the beach of Faroe Islands and it exploded before it could be examined.