A dead whale that washed ashore just north of San Francisco earlier this week has been identified as an endangered blue whale. Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center said the whale is a female and is almost 80-feet long. Skin and blubber samples were collected for testing to try and determine what caused the animal's death.
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In the Marine Mammal Center's 42-year history, this is the ninth time they have responded to the discovery of a blue whale. It's estimated there are about 28-hundred blue whales that live off the California coast.