A 55 foot long sea creature that was recently discovered on a beach in Guangdong, China has people buzzing.
The massive “ Sea Monster ,” whose 4.5 ton body was so badly decayed that it could not be identified, was discovered by a local fisherman known only as Hwang.
After viewing photos of the creature’s carcass, marine biology experts – Scott Baker of Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute, Bill Perrin, senior scientist for marine mammals at the National Marine Fisheries Service, and Bob Brownell, senior scientist for international protected resources with the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration’s Fisheries Service – all believe that it is just a whale.
“Judging from the reported size of 55 ft., maybe a fin whale. From the photo, however, it does not really look to be 55 ft., and so might be a smaller balaenopterid, like one of the ‘Bryde’s’ whales,” said Baker who then added, “”We all hope somebody collects the bones and a tissue sample for genetic analysis as recovery of whale carcasses is rare along the coast of China.”
Despite the mysterious creature’s repulsive odor, thousands are flocking to the beach to catch a live glipse of it.
