A stray whale died in Osaka Bay, raising questions about the cause and the cost of disposal
By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) — A whale as long as a train car that died after straying into a port in Osaka last month is set to be buried until it naturally becomes a skeletal specimen for a local museum. It’s the third year in a row that whales have become stranded in the area, raising questions about the reasons why and the cost of handling the incidents. The animal is believed to be a male sperm whale, about 12 meters (39 feet) long and weighing an estimated 20 tons. The cause of the stranding is unknown. Possibilities could include tidal fluctuations, diseases and climate change, but they are still under investigation.
