Two Whales Wash Ashore One After Another at Kujukuri Beach in Chiba…! Giant Whales—”Possibly a Rare Species”—Photos of the Dissection and Spout

“I’ve lived here for a long time, but this is the first time such a large whale—and two in a row—have washed ashore,” said a local resident in his 80s.

On September 19, the carcass of a fin whale, approximately 17 meters long, washed ashore along the coast of Sosa City on Kujukuri Beach in Chiba Prefecture. Just 11 days later, on September 30, another massive whale washed ashore on the same beach.

“The second whale was found 1.5 km south of where the first one washed ashore. On September 30 , it was discovered unable to move in the shallow waters near the shore. Approximately 300 whales strand annually in Japan, but I’ve never heard of them happening in quick succession right next to each other on Kujukuri Beach,” said a reporter for a national newspaper.

When the reporter visited the scene, a massive black body lay on the shoreline. It was about 15 meters long. Although it occasionally blew water, it was already completely exhausted and unable to move on its own. The beach is usually frequented only by surfers, but as word of the stranding spread, large crowds gathered, and people could be seen everywhere pointing their smartphones at the whale.

Possibility of a “Mythical Whale”

September 30, when the second whale was discovered, coincided with the timing of the scientific survey of the first whale near the scene. On the following day, October 1, prefectural officials strung up ropes to cordon off the area. An official from the Chiba Prefecture Choshi Fisheries Office, who is handling the situation, said:

“As of the morning of the 1st, we confirmed it was alive—it was moving its fins and spouting water. We can’t tie a rope around its body to rescue it, and because it’s in shallow water, boats can’t get in. All we can do is watch over it quietly.”

Kiyoshi Kase, who has been observing the whale since the first one washed ashore and has been voluntarily providing information to the National Museum of Nature and Science, said the following:

“We suspect it might be the rare Tsunoshima whale, so we’re observing its physical characteristics. There’s also what appears to be a large bleeding wound on its belly, so it may have washed ashore after being injured. It’s quite weak, so it will likely be difficult for it to return to the open sea on its own.”

The Tsunoshima whale was announced as a new species in 2003 and is also known as the “phantom whale” because its ecology remains largely unknown.

“Rescue Causes Excessive Stress”

Why did whales wash ashore one after another in the same spot? Ms. Yuko Tajima, a veterinarian and Senior Researcher in the Vertebrate Research Group at the National Museum of Nature and Science, points to changes in ocean currents caused by the typhoon.

“It is extremely rare for two whales to wash ashore in the same location in such quick succession. While the typhoon was not the direct cause of the whales’ deaths, it is possible that the approaching typhoon altered the surrounding ocean currents, creating a route that happened to lead them both to the coast of Sosa City.”

Regarding the rescue of the second whale, which was weakened in shallow water, she explains the harsh reality and the scientific perspective.

“More than half of its body is already out of the water, and any attempt by humans to forcibly rescue it in these shallow waters would only cause excessive stress. If we were serious about saving it, we would have to respond in deeper waters offshore, but the reality is that, under the current circumstances, we have no choice but to quietly watch over it (and wait for its death).

In countries like the United States, euthanasia is sometimes considered an option, and human intervention is not necessarily in the animal’s best interest. However, regarding the second whale, we cannot rule out the possibility that it is a rare species. To determine the cause of death and identify the individual, we intend to conduct a thorough scientific investigation of this specimen as well,” said Mr. Tajima.

In recent years, rising sea temperatures—believed to be caused by global warming—have led to reports of major typhoons forming and complex changes in ocean currents in various regions. If stronger typhoons begin to approach and pass through the area more frequently as a result of global warming, coastal ocean currents could be disrupted, potentially leading to an increase in the number of whales washing ashore after becoming lost or swept away, as in this case.