Dead Blue Whales Raising Big Stink in Newfoundland
B. McPherson Three dead blue whales have washed ashore in Newfoundland. These behemoths died this past winter when they and six of their pod were trapped in sea ice. Usually when whales die they sink to the bottom and provide nutrients to the other ocean dwellers. These ones floated long enough to land on three different beaches. What is the problem with that? These whales are endangered and this gives everyone in the villages a rare chance to see one. The whales are massive. A fully grown blue whale can reach 30 metres(98 ft) in length and weigh 170 tonnes(190 tons). As it starts to decompose, that’s a huge amount of rotten meat. As the decomposition continues, bacteria are generating methane gas. The whales’ skin is still holding the gases in, so the whales are slowly inflating and beginning to look like the Goodyear blimp. While local children are fascinated by the procedure, adults are beginning to worry that the carcasses will explode. It is not a fantasy. A scienti...