A minke whale that had been circling in the waters of Long Beach's Rainbow Harbor, capturing the attention of locals and tourists alike, was found dead on Sunday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed the whale's death in a statement saying, "The minke whale that had been circling within Long Beach Harbor for much of the week was unfortunately found dead this morning," as reported by ABC7. Efforts to encourage the aquatic creature back to the open sea included removing potential barriers and using noise to guide it. However, the whale briefly left the harbor only to return, leading officials to stand by in hopes it would find its way, the NOAA mentioned on Thursday.
While initial observations didn't reveal an obvious reason for the minke whale's demise, tissue and blood samples were taken to determine potential causes, with NBC Los Angeles quoting Justin Viezbicke of NOAA, "The efforts today by our partners are going to help us figure out what happened." The collected specimens will help investigate if the whale was first spotted in the harbor on Monday. According to Tyler Askari of Harbor Breeze Cruises, they may have been there due to pursuing a food trail, as minke whales, part of the baleen family and a species known to frequent waters alone or in small groups, are guided by their food sources.
The whale, which had been in and out of the harbor area for days, amassed a crowd, particularly on Saturday, as a result of its frequent surfacing that added a hint of spectacle to the Long Beach waterfront. According to a report by CBS News Los Angeles, the Marine Mammal Care Center confirmed that the 24-foot-long whale was the same one people had been observing, noting it was likely in its teens.
No evidence of foul play or human interference was suspected in the whale's death; "I don't suspect anything foul play or anything manmade at this point," Viezbicke told CBS News, though tests for domoic acid from a toxic algae bloom will be conducted, as it has been responsible for poisoning other marine animals in the region recently. Speculation arose that the whale's struggle to leave the harbor may have been related to the high tide during its entry or a possible discomfort with swimming under the shadow of a bridge, as these animals tend to avoid darkness below them, but that remains part of the ongoing investigation aiming to uncover why the whale ended up in such a predicament.
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