Gray whale dies after it washed ashore Malibu beach: Experts hope to figure out why

Wildlife experts are searching for answers to explain why a gray whale mysteriously washed ashore in Malibu, California shortly before its death.

The gray whale was discovered beached Saturday on the shores of Little Dume, a secluded sandy beach popular with surfers. The Malibu-based California Wildlife Center, which responded to the report, said in a Sunday post on Facebook that the whale later died.

It's not unusual for gray whales to wash up on the shores of California's beaches and experts have said there's no reason to believe strandings have increased in previous years. While plenty of theories abound, the exact reasons for the strange behavior largely elude marine biologists.

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Officials hope to discover why gray whale came ashore

Full grown gray whales average about 49 feet long and weigh approximately 90,000 pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

At 13,000 pounds and 33 feet long, the male whale that washed ashore in Malibu and became wedged in sand wasn't quite full grown.

The California Wildlife Center collected samples from the whale and work with NOAA to determine what exactly caused the animal to come ashore. The organizations did not conduct a full necropsy because of concerns about opening up and examining the whale on the beach, said Michael Milstein, a spokesman for NOAA Fisheries' west coast region.

"Given the limited nature of the exam, they were not able to identify a specific cause of death or reason for the stranding," Milstein said in a statement to USA TODAY.

USA TODAY left a message Monday morning with the California Wildlife Center that was not immediately returned. But the center left a warning on its Facebook post for beachgoers.

"As the tide rises, the animal may shift in the waves so please keep a safe distance," the organization said.

Why do whales beach themselves?

Once common throughout the Northern Hemisphere, gray whales are now largely found only in the North Pacific Ocean, according to NOAA Fisheries.

Though they are no longer considered to be endangered, the species defined by its mottled gray body remains protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Like many species of whales, it's sadly not uncommon for gray whales to beach themselves. Almost all of the approximately 2,000 strandings a year of any species (including dolphins) result in the deaths of the animals, according to the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida.

In August, a pod of nearly 100 pilot whales stranded themselves on the shore of an Australian beach, befuddling marine biologists and attracting international attentio when wildlife experts made the decision to euthanize them.

While there is no exact answer to explain the phenomenon, experts have long theorized that anything from sickness and injury to navigational errors could cause whales to come ashore – either intentionally or inadvertently.

Experts have also theorized that whales that become frightened of nearby predators could flee in a panic to shallow waters.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com