Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division troopers are investigating the theft of body parts from a dead gray whale that beached near Seal Rock on the Oregon coast Sunday morning.
The deceased 41-foot female whale, estimated to be between five and ten years old, had been floating in the surf by Newport for a couple days prior to washing ashore.
Since Sunday, the baleen from the right jaw was stolen, as well as parts of the body and skin. Troopers said that the taking of marine mammal parts is a federal crime in violation of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, and an NOAA Fisheries Enforcement officer in cooperation with Oregon State Police (OSP) are conducting an ongoing investigation to gather information leading to the apprehension of the thieves. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the OSP tip-line at 800-452-7888.
Anyone with information regarding the theft of body parts from the beached whale is asked to call the OSP tip-line at 1-800-452-7888. - OSP photo
Oregon State Parks is planning to remove or bury the whale carcass within the next few days.