Mating fights likely cause of death of humpback whale

A humpback whale about 13 meters long was found dead on a beach in the El Viejo municipality, on the Pacific Ocean coast of Nicaragua, an official source reported this Sunday.

“On the Nahualapa beach in the municipality of El Viejo (170 km west of Managua) in (the department of) Chinandega (…) a male humpback whale was identified in a state of decomposition,” said the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources ( Marena).

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) of 3.39 meters in diameter was found by locals on Saturday night.

The ministry, which did not specify the weight of the cetacean, said based on “specialists” that the probable cause of death of the marine animal “is due to fights with other males due to mating.”

“In this area, they arrive in search of food and reproduction during the months of March to December,” added the state institution.

The whale will be buried on the same beach where it was found.