40-foot sperm whale washes ashore after being hit by ship off Oregon

The male whale was around 20 years old and in good condition before he was hit, necropsy determined

A ship killed a 40-foot sperm whale that was found along the Oregon, according to wildlife experts.

A necropsy on the whale was carried out by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Monday.

NOAA spokesperson Michael Milstein said that scientists concluded the whale had been hit by a ship because of internal bleeding.

“The whale then apparently floated a while before washing ashore on Saturday,” Mr Milstein told KOIN 6 News.

The male whale, which will be allowed to decompose on the beach by state officials, was around 20 years old and in good condition before he was hit.

Officials from the Seaside Aquarium said the whale was dead before it washed ashore in Warrenton, Oregon.

“The whale had been dead for a while before washing ashore. There were a few large gashes on the whale believed to be from a large ship strike, however, it is unclear if this strike occurred before or after death,” the aquarium posted on Facebook over the weekend.

“With help from the wonderful staff at state parks, we were able to remove the lower jaw. The jaw was removed so that the teeth remained intact for scientific purposes.”

Male sperm whales can grow to around 60 feet in length and weigh more than 40 tonnes, according to the aquarium. They can also live up to 60 years.