Sperm whale explodes and pieces rain on pedestrians in Taiwan

[Riesstiu IV]

Link

Passers-by and cars were soaked in blood and body parts were sprayed over a road after the bursting of the whale, which was being carried on a trailer.

The whale had died earlier on a beach and had been collected so its remains could be used for educational purposes.

A marine biologist blamed the explosion on pressure from gases building up in the mammal as it began to decompose.

The whale attracted a lot of onlookers both before and after it exploded.
Several parked cars and pedestrians got covered in blood when it exploded.

Residents and shop owners wore masks while trying to clean up the spilt blood and entrails.

"What a stinking mess. This blood and other stuff that blew out on the road is disgusting, and the smell is really awful," said one resident.

Professor Wang Chien-ping, of the National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, had ordered the whale to be moved to the Shi-Tsao Natural Preserve after his own institution refused to allow a post-mortem examination on its own premises.

Record find

He said that the animal had been close to death when it was found on a beach and had died by the time help arrived.

"Because of the natural decomposing process, a lot of gases accumulated, and when the pressure build-up was too great, the whale's belly exploded."

However he said despite the explosion, enough of the whale remained to allow for an examination by marine biologists.

Professor Wang said initial observation showed the whale to be an older bull and that its weight of 50 tonnes and 17 metre-length made it the largest whale ever recorded in Taiwan.

Reports say because of the whale's size, it took 13 hours, three large lifting cranes and 50 workers to get the whale loaded on the trailer truck for its final trip.

 

[cgannon64]

Reminds me of the people who feed rice to seagulls..

 

[SanPellegrino]

you should really begin to read some serious newspapers

 

[Shadylookin]

it's a secret preemptive strike op. done by the chinese

 

[Bozo Erectus]

The unluckiest man in all Japan was walking by and got drenched from head to toe in rancid whale blubber. Then a moment later, a bowl of petunias landed on his head.

 

[Amenhotep7]

Man, that sucks! Poor whale! Oh ya, and the people too!

 

[Zeekater]

I wonder what will be on the menu tomorrow for those people .

 

[Goober]

That kinda sucks. Poor people, poor whale . . .

 

[Riesstiu IV]

Originally posted by SanPellegrino
you should really begin to read some serious newspapers

I know... I think I post too many inane (but amusing) news reports, like the Russian beer rescue.

 

[Xen]

last timne I hear somthign like this, is about a freind from California telling us how, 'back in the day; some town had a beached, dead whale, and lacking any other option, used dynamite to try and incenetate-whale chunks all around, for quite a ways, IIRC

 

[Riesstiu IV]

Hey Xen, it has been a while since I last saw you post.

 

[Xen]

yeah, i know, its a long story really, but I'm jusdt not going to be around as much for the next 6- 18 weeks

 

[MarineCorps]

Two perfect smilies for this. I'd hate to have ben around when that thing blew up.

 

[addiv]

I hope something like this can't happen to humans!

 

[MarineCorps]

Actually I belive it can.

 

[Vancouver 2010]

Originally posted by Dumb pothead
The unluckiest man in all Japan was walking by and got drenched from head to toe in rancid whale blubber. Then a moment later, a bowl of petunias landed on his head.

And, of course, the bowl of petunias was thinking "Oh no, not again" just before it landed.

 

[Ossric]

bummer

 

[Laughing Gull]

imagine the throng of stray dogs that are still licking the street like crazy as i type this, and that will still be there for days.

and the other vermin etc etc that will mass in that area and proliferate as they consume the little chunks of whale that collected in those hard-to-reach areas.
yuck.

pest control is going to be a major issue for that area for weeks.

 

[Mrogreturns]

WMD- whales of mass destruction.

Clearly these so called "whales" are a threat to global security. First they tricked us into thinking they were just big fish- took us a few thousand years to see through that little rouse- now they are exploding on our beaches. Is it revenge for the capture of Sadaam Hussain, outrage at the ordeal endured by Nemo? Who can say, but one thing is certain; the denizens of the deep are giving us the fish finger. We must tread water against this new threat and shine the light of democracy into these troubled waters.

 

[Vancouver 2010]

Originally posted by Mrogreturns
WMD- whales of mass destruction.

Clearly these so called "whales" are a threat to global security. First they tricked us into thinking they were just big fish- took us a few thousand years to see through that little rouse- now they are exploding on our beaches. Is it revenge for the capture of Sadaam Hussain, outrage at the ordeal endured by Nemo? Who can say, but one thing is certain; the denizens of the deep are giving us the fish finger. We must tread water against this new threat and shine the light of democracy into these troubled waters.

Or just send the US Navy in and try to capture the whales' evil terrorist leader.