Fin Whale Washes Ashore in Anchorage, Alaska

Over the weekend, a 47-foot-long fin whale was found washed up on a beach near the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in West Anchorage. The discovery, reported to the Alaska Stranding Network late Saturday, brought NOAA biologists and Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services to the site to investigate.

Mandy Keogh, NOAA’s Alaska Regional Stranding Coordinator, noted the rarity of such an event. “That’s pretty unusual for [a fin whale to be] that far up in the inlet, and Anchorage to be seeing an animal that large, and especially this time of year,” she said.

Barbara Mahoney, a NOAA Fisheries biologist, described the whale as a young female. Efforts are underway to collect data and determine the cause of death, although Mahoney acknowledged it may take months, or even up to a year, for full necropsy results. “It probably will be challenging to get the cause of death,” she explained.

The whale’s carcass, frozen from the cold conditions, has made the sampling process more difficult. Biologists have anchored the body to the beach to prevent it from drifting while they work. Once the samples are collected, the whale will be released to float back out to sea.

While stranded fin whales are not unprecedented in Alaska, Mahoney said this incident is unique. “To be honest, having stranded animals like this in November — this might be the first for me, and I’ve been here a long time.”

The massive whale has also drawn interest from local residents, with many venturing onto the frozen mudflats to see it up close. Families, cyclists, and dog walkers have visited the site, prompting NOAA to remind the public not to collect any parts of the animal. Doing so could violate the Endangered Species Act unless permitted for specific uses by Alaska Natives.

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