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© Matt FletcherA dead gray whale washed ashore on the Oregon Coast on Tuesday.

A dead, decomposing 40-foot gray whale washed ashore in the Oregon Coast town of Seaside on Tuesday morning, and marine experts advise staying away from the massive carcass because it's "really nasty."

Keith Chandler, a marine mammal expert from the Seaside Aquarium, said the whale has been dead for "quite some time."

"It's really smelly. We're quite a ways from it and I can smell the whale," Chandler said.

Dr. Debbie Duffield from Portland State University will collect samples on the dead whale and try to determine its cause of death.

Once marine experts have finished collecting all the data they need, the city of Seaside will likely bury the whale. Chandler said it will be a challenge.

"It's a big animal. It's kind of hard to move these guys sometimes without them kind of busting up," Chandler said. "We've always had great help from the city of Seaside when it comes to this."

Chandler advises keeping your dogs on a leash while at the beach in Seaside, mainly because dealing with your dog after it rolls around in a dead whale would be a "horrible way to spend your vacation." People should keep their distance, too.

"Don't try to mess with it," Chandler said. "It's really a nasty, smelly thing. I don't think you want to smell like this whale."