Dead humpback whale washed up on Oregon coast

MANZANITA, Ore. (KTVZ) – A dead humpback whale washed ashore at Nehalem State Park near Manzanita Monday morning, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department confirmed.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is working to determine the cause of death, but results are not expected for a week, the OPRD said.

The whale washed ashore about a mile north of the North Nehalem Jetty, near a sanctuary for the western ptarmigan, the agency said. Oregon’s beaches are protected nesting sites for the small wading bird, meaning access to the beach is not permitted from the dry sand area, where signs are posted and pets are not allowed.

OPRD advises beachgoers to pay attention to special signs or fences and follow grouse protection rules during the nesting season from March 15 to September 15.

Over the past year and a half, several dead whales have stranded on the Oregon coast, KGW reported. In February, a young fin whale washed up on Sunset Beach in Warrenton, near Astoria. In January 2023, three dead whales washed up on the Oregon coast within a week; two of them were gray whales, the other was a 40-foot-long sperm whale.