Why did Oregon explode a whale?

A widely reported case of an exploding whale occurred in Florence, Oregon, in November 1970, when the Oregon Highway Division (now the Oregon Department of Transportation) blew up a decaying sperm whale with dynamite in an attempt to dispose of its rotting carcass.

Do whales explode when dead?

Whales can apparently hold in gasses, or the “death burp,” for long periods after they die, sometimes resulting in massive and extremely messy explosions.

When did they explode a whale?

November 12, 1970
Beached Whale Blow-Up: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Florence Exploding Whale. Spectators sit on the beach near Florence, Oregon, on November 12, 1970, to witness the Oregon State Highway Division blow up a beached whale.

Why can’t you touch a dead whale?

Beachgoers are always advised to stay far away from, and not touch, a deceased beached whale. This is because when the gaseous pressure inside the whale builds up to dangerous levels, it can have ‘explosive’ consequences.

Do whales have nipples?

Whales and dolphins do not have external nipples, instead their nipples are enclosed within mammary slits. Upon stimulation of the calves nudging, the nipple is exposed and the calf positions itself such that the nipple is at the gape of the calf’s jaw for feeding.

Do male whales have balls?

Right whales have the largest testicles in the animal kingdom, reaching a combined mass of 1,000 kg, which corresponds to 2% of their total weight. Despite being generally smaller than their baleen cousins, toothed whales have testicles that are 7 to 25 times larger than those of land mammals of comparable size.

Which animal can dive the deepest?

Cuvier’s beaked whales
Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) are master divers. These creatures hold the record for deepest plunge by a marine mammal. One whale dived to depths of nearly 3,000 meters (almost 1.9 miles). This species also holds the record for the longest dives.