Dead whale washes up at popular California surf

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Dead whale washes ashore popular California surf spot, attracting great white sharks feeding on the carcass This is the jarring image of a dead whale washed up at a popular surfing spot in southern California. The giant mammal, measuring longer than 40-feet, lay lifeless on the shores of the Lower Trestles, about 65 miles south of Los Angeles, California. Boat captain Todd Mansur said he spotted a second whale carcass in the water and expects it to wash up in the next few days, the Orange County Register reported. It is unclear what caused the animal's death, although Mansur, who runs a whale watching charter, says he inspected both whales and saw no signs of marks from ships, propeller wounds or entanglements. He told the Register: 'It didn't even look like it was a day dead.' Killer whales can live between 50 to 80 years, while a bowhead whale can live to be more than 100. Natural deaths from old age can occur, although whales are also susceptible to infectious diseases, parasites and even arthritis. Mansur warned surfers to stay clear of the area since great white sharks appear to be feeding on the carcasses. Beach goers are advised to keep their distance, and Mansur said it was illegal to take any part of the animal. Lifeguards were not immediately available to comment, so it was unclear what would be done with the whale that washed ashore. Whale carcasses are usually buried, or towed out to sea and left to sink to the ocean floor. On rare occasions, gas can build up inside rotting whale carcasses and explode, although this is usually caused by human contact according to National Geographic.