A dead 25-foot whale washed ashore late Friday, April 11, near the Huntington Beach pier.
A team from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center responded early Saturday and a necropsy is underway, said Glenn Gray, CEO of the Laguna Beach-based program.
The cause of the female gray whale’s death is unknown at this time, he said.
The whale washed up Friday near Tower 7 and the area has been cordoned off by Huntington Beach Marine Safety, said Jennifer Carey, spokesperson for the city.
The city’s Public Works Department has received authorization from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and PMMC to bury the whale on Sunday morning, Carey said.
OrangeCountyOutdoors posted video on its Instagram page of the whale as the waves pushed it ashore Friday evening.
Last weekend, a minke whale was found dead in Long Beach’s Rainbow Harbor. It had been swimming in the inner harbor for several days prior.
Originally Published: April 12, 2025 at 9:10 AM PDT
