On 05 May 2026, Cascadia Research, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Central Puget Sound Stranding Network examined a 61-foot subadult male fin whale that stranded on Samish Island. This whale was initially alive in very shallow water and died in the late morning while teams were en route. Preliminary findings include malnutrition, an ulcerative skin condition, and severe internal injuries associated with the live stranding event. There was also evidence of a recent entanglement and non-lethal interaction with killer whales. Tissue samples will be analyzed in the coming weeks and may provide more insight into causes of the overall poor condition of this whale.
Fin whales are generally found off the outer coast, but this particular individual had been sighted in inland waters over the past few months, raising concerns about its health. Given their offshore distribution, strandings in Washington are infrequent (13 since 1986) and have primarily involved healthy whales that had been hit by large vessels, with some being brought into port areas on the bows of container ships.
We would like to thank the local community for their support during this unfortunate event, local tribal members for their tribute to this whale, and the Central Puget Sound Stranding Network for their initial response and coordination.
