Whale left to decompose

Hagatna - Residents in the village of Agat are being advised to stay away from a dead whale that washed ashore.

The Pacific Daily News reports Mayor Carol Tayama says the decision has been made to leave the whale on the beach as it decomposes. That process has been ongoing, and it would have been difficult to take the carcass away in its current condition.

The 38-foot whale weighs about 20 tons, and washed ashore sometime last week. It was found bloated and emitting a bad smell on Saturday. The odour and most of the bloating had dissipated by Thursday.

Authorities say it's against federal law to remove any part of the whale, even if it's dead. Tayama also says people shouldn't go near the whale since even dead whales can pass disease on to humans.