Officials are urging people to avoid a stretch of the north Oregon coast after a dead humpback whale washed ashore Monday morning.
The whale came ashore on the sands of Nehalem Bay State Park, just south of Manzanita, prompting warnings from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The area where the whale washed ashore is also a protected area for endangered snowy plovers, making it especially vulnerable to intrusions.
Dead whales are often left to decay on the beach, as the carcasses provide food for eagles and other scavengers.
The dead humpback at Nehalem Bay is located in a more remote part of the state park, officials said, a decent walk from the nearest access road.

Dead humpback whale washes ashore near Manzanita, prompting warnings