© Tom FarmerBeach-goers examine a dead humpback whale near Pajaro Dunes on Friday.
An adult humpback whale was found dead on the beach near Pajaro Dunes Thursday night, and researchers are trying to determine its cause of death.
The roughly 45-foot whale was spotted after dark near the waterline at Palm Beach, said Teri Sigler, the marine mammal stranding coordinator at Long Marine Laboratory in Santa Cruz.
"It's a rare strander," Sigler said Friday.
She said the whale appeared "moderately decomposed" and had an odor. It was not immediately clear how it died, and a necropsy was expected to be performed on the beach Friday.
Results could take a day or longer, in part because the tide has been washing the animal south and making it difficult for researchers to get to it. Friday afternoon, the whale drifted to the beach in front of the Pajaro Rivermouth, authorities said.
After the necropsy, a team could bury it or tow it out to sea, Sigler said.
Humpback whales typically feed in Monterey Bay this time of year, she said.
The whale did not appear to have shark bites and it's not known if sharks followed it to the waterline in hopes of feeding on it, she said.
Authorities said another whale that was not a humpback was found this week near Marina, south of Palm Beach. Other researchers are handling that whale and a necropsy has not yet been done - but it does not appear that the deaths are related, Sigler said.
"It's still early and we don't have a lot of information yet," she said.
Bill Wolcott, supervising ranger at Sunset State Beach, advised people to stay away from the humpback whale. The beach is snowy plover habitat that is sensitive to human contact, and the nearest parking lot is more than 1 mile from it.
"We're discouraging people from going out there," said Wolcott.
Tom Farmer, a 53-year-old from Watsonville, was walking on Palm Beach on his lunch break Friday.
Farmer said he spotted the whale as a "speck" in the distance. He kept walking and saw that the humpback lying lifeless. It was larger than a car but smaller than a bus, he said.
He snapped pictures with his cellphone and marveled.
"I always like going down there (to the beach)," said Farmer, who lives in San Martin. "You never know what you're going to see."
Researchers advised people to stay away from the whale for scientific purposes. The beach remains open.
Stranded whales, dolphins, porpoises and sea turtles can be reported to Long Marine Laboratory by calling 831-212-1272.
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