Carcass of giant fin whale draws scores of onlookers to Alaska beach

Endangered whale measuring 47ft washes up in Anchorage as scientists seek explanation for animal's death

An endangered fin whale that washed up near a coastal trail in Alaska's largest city has attracted curious onlookers while biologists seek answers as to what caused the animal's death.

The carcass found over the weekend near Anchorage was 47ft (14.3 meters) long - comparable to the width of a college basketball court - and is believed to be that of a female. Barbara Mahoney, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration biologist examining the whale, told the Anchorage Daily News the whale was probaby one to three years old.