Malibu solves whale of a problem - Los Angeles

Whales are beautiful creatures, or at least that's what Malibu residents learned last week when a 40-foot fin whale washed up on their beach. Of course, seeing such a sight was also sad, as the whale had perished.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Following the beaching, marine biologists went quickly to work to find the cause of death and then nothing. For the several days, the whale's corpse rotted on the beach leaving local officials and residents unsure of what to do.

The corpse and its attendant stench was decidedly out of place for the homes and playgrounds of so many well-to-do residents and vacationers.

All agreed the corpse had to be removed, but just how to dispose of the corpse became an issue. The city looked to the county and the county looked to the state. Eventually it was unclear just who was responsible and how it would be done.

Discussion of a tug boat, burial, cutting the beast into pieces and even burning the corpse came up.

However, nobody could come to a mutually agreeable solution.

Mother Nature, however, had her own solution, even if it is a bit slow by modern standards. Seagulls and other animals went to work on the carcass, which after a few days no longer looked much like a whale.

Finally, over the weekend, a local homeowners association came to the rescue. The association ignored the ruling by the government that towing the carcass out to sea would be unfeasible, and did just that.

Hiring a tug boat, the whale was towed about 20 miles offshore and left to sink to the bottom of the ocean.

Authorities say that  should be the last of it, and residents are grateful they can open their windows to the fresh air, one again.

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