Workers at the Port of Tacoma were shocked Monday morning when a 70‑foot whale carcass was discovered stuck on the bow of an Evergreen container ship. Marine mammal experts and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are investigating the cause of death, but the whale is so badly decomposed that its species and injuries will not be confirmed until a necropsy or genetic testing is completed. Early signs suggest it may be an endangered fin whale. Photos taken by port workers show the carcass being towed away from Blair Dock and transported to McNeil Island for examination. Fish and Wildlife officials say whales occasionally end up on the bows of large vessels, though it remains a rare and troubling sight. The incident comes as fin whale numbers along the West Coast continue to shrink, with only about eight thousand estimated in 2018. Local workers who often watch whales from Ruston Point and Dune Peninsula said the discovery was heartbreaking. Investigators with the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network are assisting with the case, and Evergreen Shipping has been contacted for comment. It is not yet known whether the ship’s crew realized the whale was lodged on the bow before arriving in Tacoma. The event has sparked widespread conversation among port workers and wildlife officials, who hope the necropsy will reveal how the whale died and whether ship strikes played a role.