Lifelike sperm whale draws attention in railway station parking lot

VALENCIA, Spain, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- A Spanish marine park said a nearly 50-foot-long sperm whale spotted in a Valencia parking lot was a model used for rescue drills.

The Oceanografic, the marine park at Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences, said the realistic-looking 48-foot, 9-inch long sperm whale that baffled passersby Monday at the city's North Station railway hub was a scale model used for a rescue drill Friday at the Las Arenas beach, ThinkSpain reported Tuesday.

The marine park said the mock whale, which will remain on display at North Station until Dec. 29, was brought to the beach for Friday's drill due to Oceanografic staff being called upon 36 times during the past year to rescue washed up or trapped sea creatures. The incidents included four dolphins, a shark and a red tuna.