Endangered blue whales spotted in Alaska

SUITLAND, Md., July 29 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists said Thursday they made a rare sighting this month of endangered blue whales in Alaskan waters.

Scientists on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel McArthur II spotted and

positively identified rare and endangered Balaenoptera musculus, the largest animals known to live on Earth. They were able to get close enough to the giant whales to get biopsies -- tiny pieces of the skin and blubber, which will be used for genetic testing and pollutant studies. They also took video and numerous pictures to document the sighting.

The scientists saw the first blue whale about 100 nautical miles southeast of Prince William Sound where the ocean is approximately two miles deep. The next day, two more blue whales were sighted a little further offshore, about 150 nautical miles southeast of Prince William Sound.

The recent sightings were in an area where blue whales were commonly harpooned in the days of whaling, the scientists said.