Eeewwwww!!!!!!

[Cloud9]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/...340760914.html



A dead, 50-tonne sperm whale exploded in a busy street in Taiwan, showering passers-by in blubber, blood and innards.

The 17-metre whale died after beaching itself and was being hauled to a research station through Tainan City on Wednesday on a flat-bed truck.

Television reports showed a pavement, street and several parked cars covered in dead whale fallout.

"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 quoted by the etaiwannews.com website.

The explosion was caused by a build-up of gasses in the decomposing carcass.

"When the pressure build-up was too great, the whale's belly just exploded and spilled blood and the innards on the street," the website said, quoting National Cheng Kung University marine biologist Professor Wang Chien-ping.

[rainbowbrightCS]

that is so nasty.... I pity who ever has to clean that up.


But it would be interesting to be be on that street watching a flat bed truck haul a Whale down the street. (minus the blowing up part)

[DeltAlum]

Reminds me of a great old piece of newsfilm from California or Washington State -- forget which.

A whale washed up on shore, and some highway department genious who didn't want to have to figure out how to move it decided that the easiest thing would be to blow it up with dynamite and move the smaller pieces.

They got a bit too much explosive and showered people, cars, etc. for hundreds of yards with giant hunks of whale.

It's really funny to see in retrospect.

Gives a whole new meaning to the old whalers cry, "Thar She Blows!"

[adpialumcsuc]

Yucky!!!

I have heard of this happening before and you would think the researchers would have know that. OH WELL!!!

[bcdphie]

Oh my god - that is so gross. I hope Vancouver scientists think twice before they ever cart a beached orca through the city. Killer whale guts all over downtown - ewwww!!!!