Did they really explode a whale?
On November 9, 1970, a 45-foot-long (14 m) sperm whale washed ashore at Florence on the central Oregon Coast. The dynamite was detonated on November 12 at 3:45 pm. The resulting explosion was caught on film by cameraman Doug Brazil for a story reported by news reporter Paul Linnman of KATU-TV in Portland, Oregon.
When was the whale blown up?
Spectators sit on the beach near Florence, Oregon, on November 12, 1970, to witness the Oregon State Highway Division blow up a beached whale.
Why do whales bodies explode?
A decomposing whale carcass generates gases which build up inside their stomach and large internal organs. This then causes them to expand, but whale skin and blubber are tough so the gases become trapped inside, according to National Geographic.
Why you should never touch a dead whale?
Basically, as the blood circulation and respiration stops in a dead whale, it leads to the decomposition of cells and tissues by the microbes already present in the body, which leads to the further proliferation of bacteria. The thick fat under the whale’s skin makes matters even worse.
Where are the nipples on a whale?
Whales and dolphins do not have external nipples, instead their nipples are enclosed within mammary slits. Upon stimulation of the calves nudging, the nipple is exposed and the calf positions itself such that the nipple is at the gape of the calf’s jaw for feeding.
Has a human been eaten by a whale?
Here’s why. Despite occasional reports of whales scooping people into their mouths, it’s incredibly rare—and for all but one species, swallowing a human is physically impossible.
Why did the sperm whale explode on the beach?
The dead whale had been lying on the beach for two days, after getting stuck in the waters between two islands, when marine biologist Bjarni Mikkelsen was sent to cut it open. As he made incisions in the whale’s side the carcass exploded due to a buildup of methane gas from the decomposition creating a loud sound…
Where was the sperm whale found in 1970?
On Nov. 12, 1970, it was decided that the rotting carcass of an eight-ton sperm whale, which had washed up on the shore of a beach near Florence, Oregon, had to be removed. The method chosen for doing this unpleasant job was dynamite.
Who was the newsman who filmed the Oregon explosion?
The beach’s sea gulls, which planners had hoped would stick around and eat the blasted bits, flew away, terrified of the enormous blast. The moment was captured by KATU-TV cameras and newsman Paul Linnman gave an incredible “deadpan” narration that helped make the moment famous, now 50 years late.