Town Fears Dead Whale Might Soon Explode

It's bad enough that an endangered blue whale washed up on the shores of the Newfoundland town of Trout River. Worse is that the carcass has ballooned in size and looks set to explode at any moment, reports CBC. Town officials say they don't have the expertise or the money to get rid of the 82-foot-long whale before that occurs, but they're having trouble getting help from the federal government.

"There is a possibility as well, with all these gases inside the whale, that it may possibly explode," says the town clerk. "That's a major concern for us." The whale is believed to have been the victim of especially heavy ice this year in the waters off Newfoundland, explains CTV. At least nine carcasses were spotted in a large local bay, and two have so far washed up. (Click to read about a researcher who learned about exploding whales the hard way, or to read about one of the most famous exploding whales in US history.)