KEALIA It was a sperm whale that washed up on Kauais Eastside beaches over Memorial Day weekend.
KEALIA — It was a sperm whale that washed up on Kauai’s Eastside beaches over Memorial Day weekend.
That’s according to Kristi West of Hawaii Pacific University’s Marine Mammal Stranding Program.
The head of the whale carcass washed ashore Saturday morning at Kealia, prompting beach closures through the weekend as state Department of Land and Natural Resources officials teamed up with cultural practitioners and members of the stranding program.
Later, the body of the whale washed up near Anahola, according to West.
At the time of discovery, officials said there might be a chance the whale was too decomposed to be studied, but scientists were able to get some samples from the necropsy.
“Extensive decomposition limited what we were able to learn from this animal,” West said. “Internal organs were no longer intact within the body cavity and it was not possible to examine the stomach contents for prey remains or signs of plastic ingestion.”
Tissue samples were collected for genetic testing to confirm the species and the sex of the whale.
Remains of the whale were buried.
