11/16/2025
The following is a statement from marine biologist Carrie Newell
Whale Research Eco Excursions
“I am sure all of you have by now heard about the live beached humpback whale off Yachats. This is a very sad situation. The humpback is a wild animal and please, under no circumstances, approach the whale. Not only is this endangering your life but it is also causing stress to the animal. Whales were designed to live in the water and a beached whale therefore is not bouyed up by the water so the internal organs are being compressed which is causing additional complications. This in itself can be life-threatening to the whale. Additionally, whales are covered by a thick layer of blubber which holds heat in the body. In the ocean, this is essential. When beached on land, they can overheat.
As a member of the Stranding Network, I am presently in route to the whale and the main people from the Stranding Network have assigned me to crowd control and education. Marine mammal experts from OSU and the Oregon Coast Aqurium will also be on site. Again, human saftey is our first priority! We hope and pray that the humpback will survive but chances are slim. Depending on the size of this humpback, we may be looking at a 50 ton whale as an adult. It is practically impossible to tow a whale of that size out to sea. It would do damage to the whale pulling it out and the boats do not have enough power or manuverability in that shallow of water. Years ago a baby s***m whale was floating dead in the ocean off Depoe Bay and the Stranding Network boarded my boat to do a necropcy as I was towing it offshore. Even at full throttle we barely made any headway and this was a baby s***m whale. I have also helped with stranded pilot whales in Florida. We did put ice cold towels to aleviate the overheating. This situation is different. We are looking at a huge baleen whale that is tumbling in the surfline.
Again, we do not want to endanger humans by approaching this whale. Probably the only hope for its survival is at high tide today when hopefully it will have enough energy to propel itself offshore. If crab lines are still attached, experts will try to cut them. I am so increbily saddened that this is our third humpback whale that has washed ashore in a little over a month.
Please be safe.
Love ya all,
Carrie”
Photo Amy Parker
