File photo (NOAA)
The Makah Native American tribe in Washington State made sure the remains of a deceased Humpback whale didn’t go to waste after it was discovered in the Strait of Juan de Fuca Thursday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the U.S. says the whale was likely struck by a vessel and was reported to them once found by Makah Tribe fishermen.
The members then brought the whale to shore, to their territory in Neah Bay.
Experts examined and concluded it was struck by the vessel, conducted a necropsy and took samples for future tests. The whale was then allowed to be used for subsistence purposes.
“The tribe couldn’t have done a better job in terms of coordinating and cooperating with our needs,” said Michael Milstein, a spokesperson for NOAA fisheries for the West Coast region.
“It’s definitely a concern when we lose a whale [from a ship strike]… but the positive thing is the humpback population is listed as an endangered species… the populations have come back substantially.”
The 31-foot juvenile humpback whale was found have had injuries such as a broken jaw, indicating a ship strike. Usually, deceased whales are taken out to sea and sunk to decompose.
Some members were able to use pieces of the meat, and the Seattle Times Reports that the deceased whale came one day before the tribe’s annual community feast and festival, and now will feed the whole village.
The Makah Reservation on the north-western tip of Washington (Google)
The Makah Days event is aimed to celebrate when the tribe gained citizenship and also marks the end of a period where members of the tribe were not allowed to practice their culture.
Julian Kolsut
