Though it's just part of Mother Nature's process, it doesn't make it any easier to have to witness.

According to an article in the Bangor Daily News, a young 50-foot Fin Whale beached herself on the shores of a small Maine town called Steuben.

The newspaper reported that the young female whale beached herself on Pigeon Hill Beach at about 9 a.m. Thursday, November 23.

Officials say that they don't believe there was any trauma or anything necessarily wrong with the fin whale prior to her beaching herself, according to the newspaper.

The BDN reported that the young whale died on the beach about 2 and a half hours after initially beaching herself.

Pigeon Hill Bay
Pigeon Hill Bay
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According to information available from Maine.gov, the Fin Whale is one of four whale species commonly found in Maine. Additionally, the Fin Whale is the second-largest whale species in the world, right behind the enormous Blue Whale.

According to WildLifeFlorida,

The beaching of a single, live animal is usually the result of sickness or injury. Bad weather, old age, navigation errors, and hunting too close to shore also contribute to beachings. Some whale and dolphin species are more prone to mass beachings. Toothed whales (Odontoceti) are the most commonly affected

Though the beaching of an otherwise healthy-looking whale is rare, it's not entirely unheard of, though experts aren't 100% sure what causes this.

Additionally, the BDN reported that a total of six (much smaller) Minke whales were found dead over the summer in Maine waters. Marine officials said that the Minke deaths didn't appear to be linked, or to be a cause for concern.

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