Staff from the Húsavík Whale Museum traveled this week to examine a humpback whale that washed ashore near Áshól, just south of Grenivík. The 10-meter-long female was first spotted stuck on a shoal before drifting closer to land at high tide.
Local farmer and guesthouse operator Anna Bára Bergvinsdóttir said she initially saw the whale stranded further out. “Last year I even had to use a tractor to push another whale carcass back to sea because of the smell,” she noted.
With help from researchers at Whale Wise, the Húsavík team was able to identify the individual by the unique black-and-white patterns on the underside of its flukes. Each humpback has distinct markings, allowing scientists to track their movements. This whale was catalogued as HW-MN0104313 on the Happywhale database and had been photographed alive in Eyjafjörður earlier this year. According to researcher and skipper Babsi Neubarth, the animal was seen swimming just days ago.
Humpbacks are among the most common whales seen on tours around Iceland, easily recognized when they lift their flukes high before diving. While the cause of death is unknown, no visible injuries were found. The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute has been notified, and staff from the University of Iceland’s research station in Húsavík are expected to collect samples and measurements in the coming days.
For more information on this individual humpback, visit happywhale.com/individual/142095.
Photo by the Húsavík Whale Museum
