Cause of death revealed for 53-foot sea creature that washed up on Oregon beach

A 53-foot sea creature washed ashore after it was reported dead off the coast of Oregon.

Now researchers know how it died.

The adult male sperm whale washed ashore 12 miles north of Seaside between Del Ray and Sunset Beach, according to a June 1 Instagram post by Seaside Aquarium.

The whale was spotted floating before it eventually washed ashore May 29, according to a June 3 Facebook post by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries West Coast.Deceased sperm whale lying on the beach. NOAA Fisheries West Coast/Marilyn Mead

There were two angled and paralleled cuts across the top of the whale’s head, officials said.

After performing a necropsy and seeing “trauma with several vertebrae exposed and twisted,” researchers determined the whale died because it was hit by a