Scientists and onlookers gathered Saturday at a Northern California beach to view a 79-foot-long blue whale — a member of the largest species on Earth — that washed up dead the day before after apparently being hit and killed in a collision with a ship. 
 
 The whale, an adult female, was found on Agate Beach in Bolinas along the Marin County Coast, about 10 miles north of San Francisco early Friday morning. 
 
 Scientists who on Saturday conducted an autopsy, known as a necropsy, said it appears the animal was hit by a ship. 
 
 “We found out that it was blunt force trauma due to a boat strike,” said Barbie Halaska, a biologist and research assistant at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. “The whole left side of her body was damaged. We found 10 broken ribs and 10 fractured vertebrae near the tail and mid-body.” 
 
 Halaska said that although large whales are sometimes towed out to sea when they wash up on beaches, this one will be left on the beach to decompose, be eaten by birds and wash back into the ocean. That’s because there is a large reef off the beach, which is adjacent to Point Reyes National Seashore, she said. 
 
 “There’s no way you could get a vessel in there to tow it out,” she said. “It would be very tricky.” 
 
 Ship strikes have been a recurring threat to whales around San Francisco Bay and other large ports. 
 
 Last October, a 65-foot-long blue whale washed up dead on Westmoor Beach in Daly City. That whale, a sub-adult male, was found to have died from a skull fracture as a result of a collision with a ship, scientists found. 
 
 Halaska said that some cargo ships are so massive that the operators don’t know when they have hit a whale, even one as big as a blue whale. 
 
 “It might slow down their speed one or two knots, but nothing they would notice,” she said. “These are huge boats. People who have come into port with whales on the bow of their ships have told us they had no idea.” 
 
 Less than a month ago, on May 1, the Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries instituted a voluntary policy of asking the operators of large ships to slow their speeds roughly in half to 10 knots — about 11 mph — as they enter the shipping lanes heading toward the Golden Gate Bridge. 
 
 “Some ship strikes are inevitable, but we may be able to minimize the harm to whales if the ships are moving more slowly,” said Mary Jane Schramm, a spokeswoman for the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary in San Francisco. 
 
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 Blue whales are massive marine mammals. They can reach 100 feet in length and 300,000 to 400,000 pounds. Their tongues weigh as much an elephant and they can live 80 years or more. 
 
 The whales were decimated in the 1800s and 1900s by whaling, a practice that the United States outlawed in 1972. While other whale populations, including those of gray whales and humpbacks, have gradually recovered in numbers, blue whales remain listed as endangered under federal law and have been slower to come back. 
 
 Every spring, blue whales swim north from Costa Rica and Mexico up the California, Oregon and Washington coasts, following krill, the tiny shrimp-like animals that form the staple of their diets. 
 
 On Saturday, national marine sanctuary scientists cruised in boats off the San Francisco and Marin coasts, looking for “hot spots” of blue and humpback whales and radioing ships in the area to warn of their locations. 
 
 Often when whales die in ship strikes, they sink to the bottom of the ocean. Researchers at the Marine Mammal Center said this whale was found in relatively intact condition, which allowed them to take useful tissue samples to learn more about the animals. 
 
 Halaska said that scientists from the Marine Mammal Center, California Academy of Sciences and other organizations removed the stomach, liver, an eye, a part of the ear and other organs from the whale, which will help them learn whether it had any diseases, whether it had high levels of toxins, what it was eating and other facts such as its age. 
 
 “The opportunity to perform a necropsy on a carcass in this good of condition will help contribute to our baseline data on the species,” she said. 
 
 Saturday’s incident was only the ninth time in the 42-year history of the center that it has responded to a blue whale death. 
 
 Information from a photo database of blue whales based on their tail markings revealed a match with this weekend’s whale. It was first identified off California in 1999 and seen in at least 11 different years mostly in the Santa Barbara Channel area, according to the Marine Mammal Center. 
 
 There are between 8,000-9,000 blue whales worldwide. Roughly 2,800 blue whales feed along the California coast, according to the Marine Mammal Center. They make up the largest concentration of blue whales in the world. 
 
 Click here if you’re having trouble viewing this photo gallery on a mobile device. ||||| Blue whale found beached in Bolinas died from collision with ship 
 
 A 79-foot female blue whale carcass tumbles in the surf at Agate Beach in Bolinas. A team of three scientists from The Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences responded to the carcass Friday, May 26, 2017, to take initial measurements and tissue samples. The Center has previously responded to 8 blue whales in its 42-year history including a 65-foot blue whale at Westmoor Beach in Daly City in October 2016. less A 79-foot female blue whale carcass tumbles in the surf at Agate Beach in Bolinas. A team of three scientists from The Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences responded to the carcass Friday, ... more Photo: Courtesy: The Marine Mammal Center 
 
 Scientists from The Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences plan to perform a full necropsy tomorrow (Saturday) on a 79-foot female blue whale carcass that washed ashore Friday, May 26, 2017, at Agate Beach in Bolinas. “The opportunity to perform a necropsy on a carcass in this good of condition will help contribute to our baseline data on the species,” says Barbie Halaska, research assistant at The Marine Mammal Center. less Scientists from The Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences plan to perform a full necropsy tomorrow (Saturday) on a 79-foot female blue whale carcass that washed ashore Friday, May 26, 2017, at ... more Photo: Courtesy: The Marine Mammal Center 
 
 A team of three scientists from The Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences responded to a blue whale carcass at Agate Beach in Bolinas on Friday, May 26, 2017. The whale was identified as a sub-adult female blue whale measuring 24 meters, or about 79 feet. less A team of three scientists from The Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences responded to a blue whale carcass at Agate Beach in Bolinas on Friday, May 26, 2017. The whale was identified as a ... more Photo: Courtesy: The Marine Mammal Center 
 
 Photo: Frederic Larson, The Chronicle 
 
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 Humpback whales Best time to see them: May - November 
 
 Humpback whales Best time to see them: May - November Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Buy photo 
 
 Where to see humpback whales: Moss Landing 
 
 Guided kayak tours are available in Moss Landing, offering you the chance to get very close to humpback whales and other wildlife (like otters!). Where to see humpback whales: Moss Landing 
 
 Guided kayak tours are available in Moss Landing, offering you the chance to get very close to humpback whales and other wildlife (like otters!). Photo: Pete Kiehart, The Chronicle Buy photo 
 
 Here, a humpback whale surfaces next to Karen Hatch on a kayak paddle trip out of Moss Landing. Here, a humpback whale surfaces next to Karen Hatch on a kayak paddle trip out of Moss Landing. Photo: Giancarlo Thomae, Courtesy Photo 
 
 Where to see humpback whales : Farallon Islands 
 
 Many tours will take you out to the Farallons for a glimpse at the rich ecosystem just outside the Golden Gate. R esearchers stationed at the island counted 93 humpback whales, 21 blue whales and one fin whale in a single hour recently. less Where to see humpback whales : Farallon Islands 
 
 Many tours will take you out to the Farallons for a glimpse at the rich ecosystem just outside the Golden Gate. R esearchers stationed at the island counted 93 ... more Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Buy photo 
 
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 Blue whales: Best time to see them: May - November Blue whales: Best time to see them: May - November Photo: John Calambokidis, Associated Press 
 
 Where to see blue whales : Farallon Islands 
 
 The blue whale was hunted nearly to extinction, but happily the California blue whales have made a huge comeback. They're estimated to be at 97% of their pre-hunting population. less Where to see blue whales : Farallon Islands 
 
 The blue whale was hunted nearly to extinction, but happily the California blue whales have made a huge comeback. They're estimated to be at 97% of their pre-hunting ... more Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 
 
 Where to see blue whales : Point Lobos State Reserve 
 
 Blue whales are sometimes seen alongside humpback whales around Point Lobos. They're usually spotted in July, August and September. Where to see blue whales : Point Lobos State Reserve 
 
 Blue whales are sometimes seen alongside humpback whales around Point Lobos. They're usually spotted in July, August and September. Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle 
 
 Whale watchers aboard a Monterey Bay Whale Watch boat get a glimpse of a bule whale. Whale watchers aboard a Monterey Bay Whale Watch boat get a glimpse of a bule whale. Photo: Manny Crisostomo, Sacramento Bee 
 
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 Gray whales: Best time to see them: December - May Gray whales: Best time to see them: December - May Photo: Joe Zouzounis 
 
 Where to see gray whales : Point Reyes National Seashore 
 
 The highest number of whales swim by Point Reyes in Dec. - Feb., but now's the time to see calves. Mothers and babies will come close to shore in late April and early May. Whale experts say that 94-percent of Pacific gray whales will pass Point Reyes during migrations. less Where to see gray whales : Point Reyes National Seashore 
 
 The highest number of whales swim by Point Reyes in Dec. - Feb., but now's the time to see calves. Mothers and babies will come close to shore in late ... more Photo: Jessica Mullins, The Chronicle 
 
 Where to see gray whales : Point Arena Lighthouse 
 
 The lighthouse sticks out into the ocean, giving whale watchers a better and closer vantage point to catch a glimpse of a whale. Where to see gray whales : Point Arena Lighthouse 
 
 The lighthouse sticks out into the ocean, giving whale watchers a better and closer vantage point to catch a glimpse of a whale. Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 
 
 Where to see gray whales : Montara 
 
 March through May are good times to whale-watch in Montara, as calves stick closer to shore. Where to see gray whales : Montara 
 
 March through May are good times to whale-watch in Montara, as calves stick closer to shore. Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press 
 
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 Where to see gray whales : Bodega Head 
 
 Bodega Bay features plenty of highway pullouts so you can safely view whales from elevated vantage points. Where to see gray whales : Bodega Head 
 
 Bodega Bay features plenty of highway pullouts so you can safely view whales from elevated vantage points. Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle 
 
 Killer whales: Best time to see them: Year-round, but particularly in spring when they come to California to hunt grey whale calves. 
 
 OK, killer whales aren't technically whales. But they fall under the umbrella of 'cool marine mammals you can see while whale-watching.' less Killer whales: Best time to see them: Year-round, but particularly in spring when they come to California to hunt grey whale calves. 
 
 OK, killer whales aren't technically whales. But they fall under the ... more Photo: Elaine Thompson, Associated Press 
 
 Best place to see killer whales : Anywhere where gray whales and their calves may be. Monterey Bay is a good bet since its deep Submarine Canyon makes it an ideal spot for whale crossings. Best place to see killer whales : Anywhere where gray whales and their calves may be. Monterey Bay is a good bet since its deep Submarine Canyon makes it an ideal spot for whale crossings. Photo: Giancarlo Thomae / Sanctuary Cruises / Giancarlo Thomae / Sanctuary Cruises 
 
 Minke whales: Best time to see them: Year-round, although summer and fall is most common 
 
 Minke whales are the second-smallest baleen whales and are not endangered. Minke whales: Best time to see them: Year-round, although summer and fall is most common 
 
 Minke whales are the second-smallest baleen whales and are not endangered. Photo: Bryant Austin, Studio: Cosmos 
 
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 Where to see minke whales : Big Sur 
 
 Marine life of all sorts can be seen in Big Sur, from minke whales to orcas to dolphins. Where to see minke whales : Big Sur 
 
 Marine life of all sorts can be seen in Big Sur, from minke whales to orcas to dolphins. Photo: Paul Giamou, Getty Images/Aurora Creative 
 
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 Photo: Courtesy: The Marine Mammal Center Image 1 of / 27 Caption Close Blue whale found beached in Bolinas died from collision with ship 1 / 27 Back to Gallery 
 
 A dead whale that washed up on a Marin County beach this week likely died after being hit by a ship, according to officials at the Marine Mammal Center. 
 
 The adult female blue whale was first reported dead on Agate Beach in Bolinas on Thursday and a team of 25 scientists and volunteers gathered today to perform a necropsy in order to determine how it died. 
 
 The roughly 79-foot-long whale was found to have suffered injuries along its entire left side, including hemorrhaged and necrotic muscle and 10 ribs that were broken in multiple places. 
 
 Also, its spine was badly fractured and the skull showed signs of trauma, according to Marine Mammal Center officials. 
 
 "These injuries are indicative of significant blunt force trauma that is consistent with ship strikes," officials with the center said in a statement today. 
 
 This particular whale is familiar to the scientific community. Based on information about its unique fluke markings stored in a long-term photo-identification database, this whale was first identified in California in 1999 and has been seen in at least 11 different years, mostly in the Santa Barbara Channel area. 
 
 "It is a tragedy that this whale's story ended due to vessel collision," said Barbie Halaska, a research scientist at the center. "These types of examinations have enabled the scientific community to make recommendations for slower shipping speeds and route changes, and hopefully that will help future whales." 
 
 Ship collisions, along with fishing gear entanglements, are a leading cause of whale deaths. 
 
 A full necropsy report, based on the information gathered today and testing on skin and blubber samples, will be available within two weeks.
– Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center in northern California believe they’ve discovered the cause of death of a female blue whale that washed up on a Marin County beach Thursday, and it's a human one. Injuries found on the 79-foot whale during a necropsy conducted Saturday—including 10 broken ribs, a fractured spine, and a damaged skull—indicate that the mammal was struck by a ship, reports SFGate. A local scientist posted a graphic photo of the researchers examining what he called "blue whale road kill," writing, "only through teamwork can researchers @calacademy find the cause of death, but looks like it was a ship." Barbie Halaska tells the Mercury News some cargo ships wouldn’t even notice a collision with a 300,000-pound blue whale because "these are huge boats." "People who have come into port with whales on the bow of their ships have told us they had no idea," she says. SFGate calls whale-ship collisions a "leading cause" of death for the creatures; the Mercury News notes another blue whale that was struck washed ashore in the area just this October, though scientists say they more often sink to the ocean floor following a ship strike. This latest blue whale was well-known to researchers, having been first identified in 1999 and seen on 11 more occasions by the scientific community. Halaska says the research being conducted around its death can help change conditions for the future when it comes to things like shipping routes and speeds. (It turns out there's a simple reason why blue whales got so huge.)