BLUE WHALE INVESTIGATIONS 10-05-10 15:45 a.v.
Investigations into the death of a pregnant whale were set to begin Monday after it and a whale fetus were found over the weekend on a beach about 35 miles north of Santa Cruz. Researchers from U.C. Santa Cruz, U.C.S.C’s Long Marine Lab and the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito are working to determine what caused the 80-feet long, 75-ton blue whale and it’s 17-foot whale fetus to wash ashore Bean Hollow State Beach. Researchers, who speculate the whale died 4 to 5 days ago, say the whale will not be moved until samples have been taken.