NEWPORT, Ore. (KOIN) — A migrating gray whale was spotted off the California coast with a metal frame apparently ensnared around its head.
The whale is presumably making its way to feeding grounds in Alaska, said Peter Pearsall with the Oregon Coast Aquarium. The whale was spotted by counters in California in early April.
NOAA Entanglement Hotline: 877.767.9425
The metal frame may be a scaffolding for oyster beds, Pearsall said. Regardless, “it’s a piece of debris that the whale has managed to lodge its head onto.”
He suggested people keep a discreet distance from the whale as they take photos and videos to mark the whale’s progress up the coast.
Whales can be seen migrating from Newport to Depoe Bay. If you spot this whale, you can report it to the NOAA Entanglement Hotline: 877.767.9425
