Whale that washed ashore on the Oregon coast has been dead for ‘quite some time,’ experts say

EnvironmentUpdated: Feb. 08, 2026, 7:05 p.m.|Published: Feb. 08, 2026, 10:10 a.m.

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Stranded fin whale 2026Mark Graves

A 46-foot fin whale that washed up on the Oregon coast on Saturday has been dead for “quite some time,” officials with the Seaside Aquarium said.

The dead whale appeared on Sunset Beach, near Warrenton, on Saturday morning. Whale experts will try to determine its cause of death with a necropsy next week, the aquarium said.

Fin whales can grow up to 85 feet and weigh more than 80 tons, the aquarium said. The only species larger is a blue whale.

Aquarium officials urged beachgoers not to touch the dead animal. Dead whales, dolphins and other creatures can spread diseases to humans, they said.

Sami Edge is the deputy breaking news editor at The Oregonian. She previously covered the Oregon Legislature and higher education, winning awards for her coverage of mental health and the decline in college… more