A juvenile gray whale was found washed ashore last month near the Alameda Creek Trail in Coyote Hills Regional Park. The whale was quite malnourished when it was found and struck by a ship. Necropsy was done and its results unveils that it was struck by a ship.

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito has released the report, which includes detail that the 21-foot female whale was having injuries of shallow propeller strike on its dorsal area. The real reason behind the death of whale was not known as of Tuesday afternoon. But there were a few factors that have added to her death.

As per the report, the strike entered the blubber area but did not cause any bleeding or broke any bones. The whale was quite weak and had a spine abnormality that might have reduced its hunting ability and made it more vulnerable to the attack.

Dr. Shawn Johnson, Director of Veterinary Science at the Marine Mammal Center, said the necropsy helps them widen their research baseline and this way, they are better positioned to help the marine animals.

“Even when we are not able to determine a final cause of death, our research provides insights into the overall health of these animals and their ocean environment, including any human impacts that may play a role”, said Johnson. This year, the Marine Mammal Center has responded to eight stranded whales.

"By conducting a necropsy on a whale that washes up on our shores, we're able to expand our baseline data to better understand these marine mammals," said Dr. Shawn Johnson, Director of Veterinary Science at the Marine Mammal Center.