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Man Caught Stealing from Whale Carcass on Oregon Coast

The decaying sperm whale landed near Cannon Beach on New Year's Eve

Photos courtesy Seaside Aquarium

(Seaside, Oregon) – Federal authorities are investigating the alleged stealing of teeth from a whale carcass that washed up in Cannon Beach on New Year’s Eve – which is considered a federal crime.

Staff from the Seaside Aquarium received a call in the morning on December 31 that a whale had washed up at Ecola State Park in Cannon Beach. The following day, as they approached, they spotted a man cutting out the jawbone of the whale. By the time they got to the scene, the man was trying to hide from them in the bushes.

Aquarium manager Keith Chandler, employee Jason Hussa and a member of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network headquarters in Portland responded to the whale stranding, arriving about noon. They were able to confront the man trying to remove parts from the whale. He was cooperative with the team, Chandler said, and returned the teeth and jawbone.

Whale's jawbone area, with section missing

Because of the investigation, Chandler was not able to say much about the incident.

Special Agent Sean Stanley, with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Astoria, was one of two agents interviewing Hussa and Chandler on Wednesday. He said the investigation was in the very early preliminary stages, so he was unable to reveal much as well.

“We have probable cause to believe a crime was committed and we are investigating,” Stanley said. “We believe this was a violation of the of the Endangered Species Act and the International Whaling Convention Act.”

Stanley said this kind of crime could result in as much as one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

The sperm whale was a female, full grown, and about 37 feet. Chandler said it had been dead for a while.

“Probably two months,” Chandler said. “It was flat as a pancake.”

He said he had no clues about how it died. The team took measurements, retrieved tissue and blood samples from the creature, and the network representative took them back to Portland, where analysis may reveal more.

In spite of its state of decay, Chandler said the smell was not unbearable. Cold weather probably helped that situation.

The rocky spot where it rolled in is extremely hard to access, much less see, except from a hiking trail between Indian Beach and the viewpoints at Ecola. The cove is only accessible from a hidden path that is extremely difficult to traverse, so Chandler didn’t think it was likely others would be able to get it.

The whale carcass is in a very remote cove that is extremely hard to access (photo Bill Carpenter)

At first, because of high tides, the crew was not able to get to the whale. Lower tides on New Year’s Day enabled them to get there. “So the incident spanned two years,” Chandler joked.

The remote spot makes it impossible to get equipment down to the beach, and there is no sand to bury it in. So, officials will simply let it sit and it may roll out again with the tide.

“There’s nothing you can do on that beach,” he said. “For now, it’s left to the seagulls.”

The sperm whale may end up on another beach where it can be buried.

Chandler said this incident serves to remind the public what not to do if they find a stranded animal on the Oregon coast.

“It shows it’s important not to mess with these things,” he said. “Every piece of these creatures is important for research, and besides it’s a federal offense.”

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