SEATTLE (AP) — It’s still unclear what killed an endangered orca that washed up dead on Long Beach, Wash., in February.
A report released Tuesday by NOAA Fisheries says the whale died of physical trauma but the cause of that injury is still unknown.
Scientists investigating the death did not find signs of serious disease-causing bacteria or viruses, and tissue samples were too poor to confirm hemorrhage. More tests are pending to determine whether the whale was injured before it died.
The whale washed ashore Feb. 11, and some believe military training exercises may be responsible.
But the report says the U.S. Navy reports it didn’t use sonar off the coast around the time of the whale’s stranding. The Army also says it did not conduct exercises occurred at that time.
Scientists are continuing to investigate.
