What would you think if you happened upon this bizarre floating creature in the middle of the ocean?
At first glance, it looks like it might be some sort of alien creature, or perhaps a previously unidentified marine animal?
Aussie fisherman Mark Watkins initially thought that the blob might be an overturned boat or a downed hot air balloon. However, once he got close enough to inspect it, he got a whiff of what was without a doubt a rotting carcass.
At that point, he realized that it was in fact an upside down bloated whale carcass.
Watkins explained, “Its stomach was full of gas so it was all bloated up. When we got closer, we realized it had to a dead whale because of the smell.”
When large whales decompose, the gas created from the body’s decomposition often stays trapped inside the tough skin and blubber.
Because this particular whale was a baleen whale, it had large throat pleats that allowed it to take large gulps of water.
These pleats expanded with the rest of the body as it decomposed, creating this odd looking blob.
If you see a decomposed and bloated whale, stand back. They’re known to blow.
Watch one such explosion in the video below. Warning: you won’t be able to unsee it.
