University: Terneuzen fin whale was ‘hit’ alive by ship | Inland

“In the gullet of the fin whale we found undigested food, a kind of planktonic shrimp, we call it krill. The fact that the krill did not end up in the stomach of the fin whale indicates that it was probably eaten just before or during death. That indicates that the fin whale was probably not sick,” says Lonneke IJsseldijk, biologist at Utrecht University.

At the spot where the fin whale came into contact with the ship, the researchers found a large subcutaneous hemorrhage. “That is a sign that the fin whale was still alive when it came into contact with the ship,” says IJsseldijk.

The fin whale was found on the bulb of the ship, which is the lower part of the bow.

The fin whale is a protected species. According to IJsseldijk, shipping is one of the biggest threats to the animal.

–