Dead blue whale
Dead blue whale
A dead whale was spotted floating near a beach in Daly City on Wednesday afternoon.

Around 12:30 p.m., the whale was found floating about a quarter-mile off shore from Thornton State Beach in Daly City. The whale has now since drifter closer to shore, spokesperson Giancarlo Rulli said.

The Marine Mammal Center was notified around 1:00 p.m., however they are unable to do anything until the whale has come ashore. According to the Marine Mammal Center, though the whale is only about a quarter mile offshore, they cannot predict when or where the whale will wash up.

Researchers have determined that the whale is a male blue whale. Officials from the center have sent a team member to look at the whale but at this time, the age and size of the whale is unknown.


The center, along with its partners including the California Academy of Sciences, have decided to not send a necropsy team out until the next day, on Thursday, as there are only a few hours of daylight left today.

With the tide expected to rise Thursday, scientists hope the whale gets pushed up the beach so they will have more access to it, Rulli said.