Taiwanese Whale Explosion… Literally(Updated with another Whale Tale)

[democritus]

A whale intended for research exploded on a Taiwanese street, soaking passersby in blood and guts.

The sperm whale, which had died on the beach and was being transported back in 2004 through Tainan for study, burst because of gases building up in its body from decomposition. It soaked several cars and curious pedestrians nearby, forcing residents and business owners to wear masks to clean up the debris.

“What a stinking mess. This blood and other stuff that blew out on the road is disgusting, and the smell is really awful,” commented one resident.

The whale weighed 50 tons and was 55 feet long, making it the largest ever found in Taiwan. It was taken to a Tainan university, which sent it on to the Shi-Tsao natural preserve for study. The whale’s girth took 13 hours, three large lifting cranes and 50 workers to get the creature on trailer truck for its final trip.

Despite the mammal’s grisly explosion, enough of the whale remained for it to be researched by marine biologists.

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Source WeirdAsiaNews


Beached whale has gigantic swollen tongue

Marine biologists are investigating why an endangered finback whale washed up dead on a Cape Cod beach.

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Sightseers examine a forty foot finback whale which washed up on Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Photo: DAVID G CURRAN

The 45-foot juvenile male whale was found on Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown, last week. Beach goers were amazed by the size of the mammal's swollen tongue, which looked like a giant balloon sticking out of its mouth.

A spokesman for the International Fund for Animal Welfare said the tongue was swollen by gas created in the decomposition process.

The whale weighs about 10 tons. Researchers examined the carcass for signs of trauma but could not discover any.

"From what we have seen there is no indication of any type of vessel strike or propeller strike," said a spokesman for the charity's marine mammal rescue and research programme. "But we still need to see the other side and do the complete internal exam."

Observers had seen the whale floating dead in the shore in Cape Cod Bay, and the carcass came in "extremely quickly," pushed by strong winds said Craig Thatcher, the North District ranger at Cape Cod National Seashore.

Crews are working with the park service to develop a disposal plan for the whale.

Finback whales are the second-largest, after blue whales, and are on the endangered species list.

It is not uncommon to see the species in the area, the researchers said. Adult finbacks can grow up to 80 feet in length and weight more than 50 tons.

Source Telegraph.co.uk

[Jademoon20]

Ohhhhh YUCK! id be pissed off if that disgust got on me... Reminds me of a scene from Reno 911 the Movie. Its one of those things that is funny only when it happens to someone else. Poor bastards.

[Happy31]

"Burst" ?! The second picture is impressive... to be full of blood and guts...

[Whee]

Whoa! That's awesome, but sick at the same time. Sucks to be the group cleaning it up.

[Epikk]

oooh duuude! I'd probably puke my breakfast out if I was there. sick.
poor those who had to clean up that mess.

[Aya]

HAHAHA
and of course it happens at Tainan

[edmcel]

Research is a messy job...but usually not on such a large scale!

[Ayamael]

Ewww! I understand moving the whale for research, but I think next time they'll check for gas buid-up in the body BEFORE attempting it... or at least, I hope they will ^_^' Cleaning up must have been so disgusting.

[bangbangtang]

If this happen to me, it will live my life

Sometimes u need somethin' weird for your life, xdd

[kawaiixneko]

Ew, imagine how random it would be when it exploded, people on the streets would have been like: "WTH!?"
Well at least this one died on their beach ...

[tienguan]

i feel sorry for the shop owner and the car owners. man it will take days to get the smell off .

[Ignis]

omfg im at a loss of words =X
they should have brought the whale in a closed cage, no?

democritus that pic is quite grotesque. i think you'd better use spoiler tags

[zesphiete]

Unbelievable!
If I was in the team, I myself never thought about the gas can be exploded...
And thankfully I'm not in the team, so that I didn't need to clean up that kind of mess..I’m already lazy enough to clean my own room.

[lolipopie]

oh my god!
i pity those who have to clear off that.. stinking mess.
that was terrible ><

[1337rice]

on the other hand...despite blowing its guts and blood everywhere....that scooter looks awfully clean ..........................