Updating Tuesday's post about the sei whale that was found dead on the beach in Norfolk over the weekend...marine scientists have now correctly identified the animal as a young fin whale.
Both are classified as roquals, a family distinctive for their grooved throat pouches that expand when feeding. Their main difference is in size. While adult sei whales can top out at 45-55 feet, the fin whale can grow to over 80 feet, making it the second longest animal on earth, trailing only its cousin, the blue whale. They're also fast, capable of 23mph in short bursts. Fin whales, like sei whales and humpbacks, are usually seen off the Virginia coast in the winter months.
Scientists did a necropsy on the whale Tuesday. Norfolk city officials say they will bury the carcass in the beach where it was found.
On the web:
http://acsonline.org/fact-sheets/fin-whale/
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