Pacifica Whale Marred with Graffiti One of Two to be Buried at Beach

By Bay City News, image courtesy Marine Mammal Center

Both whales beached on Sharp Park Beach. A 48-foot sperm whale was
discovered on April 14 near Mori Point and a 42-foot adult female humpback was found on May 5.

Researchers conducted necropsies on both whales but were unable to
determine their specific cause of death, though injuries from blunt force
trauma indicated the humpback might have died from a ship strike.
The section of beach where the whales were found is under San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department jurisdiction. Recreation and Parks officials had decided to allow the whales to decompose, according to Pacifica police.

But Pacifica city officials asked the Recreation and Parks Department to consider burying the whales because of the odors coming from the carcasses.

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• Beached Whale in Pacifica Marred with Graffiti

The whales will be buried on the beach above the high tide line, Recreation and Parks spokeswoman Sarah Ballard said today. Details on how they will be buried and when are still being worked out, she said.

The Marin Headlands-based Marine Mammal Center assisted in the
necropsy for the two whales. The center has responded to 17 beached sperm whales and 21 beached humpbacks in its 40-year history.

Marine Mammal Center spokeswoman Laura Sherr said today that while
generally whale carcasses are left to decompose on beaches, that usually
happens on more remote beaches where it’s easier to let nature take its
course.

But in the case where the landowner wants to get rid of them, the
center has no objections, Sherr said. Center researchers finished studying
the two whales within a week of their discovery.