Department of Land and Natural Resources

(HONOLULU) – Marine debris, ingested by a 56-foot-long sperm whale, is believed to be at least a contributing cause to its death. The whale washed up on the reef fronting Lydgate Park on Kaua‘i Friday night. On Saturday, heavy equipment was used to get it onto the beach where researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Health and Stranding Lab, spent 15-hours trying to find clues about its death. Their initial examination of the whale was limited because of its immense size.