Sperm Whale Carcass Towed from Honokohau Harbor; Hawaii Warns of Health and Safety Risks along the Kona Coast
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii County, Hawaii — The state Department of Land and Natural Resources warned on October 30 that a sperm whale carcass off the Kona coast poses health and safety risks to boaters, fishers and beachgoers.
The carcass was first seen drifting along the Kona coast on October 27, reached Honokohau Harbor, and was towed offshore on the evening of October 28 by department enforcement, boating and aquatic resources staff, together with a trained responder with the Hawaii Whale Entanglement Response Network; Hawaiian cultural practitioners also advised.
The department said the carcass was in an advanced state of decomposition and pieces had broken off before the tow, creating hazards for ocean users. Decomposing whale can carry zoonotic diseases, and wind and strong currents could push pieces back toward shore. The public should stay out of the water near any carcass pieces and not approach by boat, board or swimming.
Any part of the whale is protected under state law and the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act. The department is not releasing the carcass's location and continues to monitor with NOAA. Sightings can be reported to the marine wildlife hotline at 1-888-256-9840.
Source: GSM America
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：抹香鲸母子。来源：Wikimedia Commons（CC BY-SA 2.0）
