Mystery of the Mexican 'sea monster' explained: Expert says it's part of a whale's head
A bizarre-looking monster of a sea creature that washed up on a Mexican beach on Wednesday may have a rather normal explanation.
The 13-foot lumpy, grey mass baffled local authorities after it was found on Bonfil Beach, a popular tourist location.
Civil Guard and Fire Brigade Coordinator Sabás de la Rosa Camacho said the creature had not been dead for long.
"We have no idea what type of animal that is, but I do know that it does not smell bad or have a fetid aroma," he told local media.
A marine mammals expert from the National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. said he believed the ‘sea monster’ was in fact a portion of a sperm whale’s head.
James Mead explained to Livescience that a whale’s head consists of an organ that assists with echolocation and also a bottom section known at ‘the junk’, which consists of mostly connective tissue.
"The junk has separated from the skull, and you can see about midway through the video the nasal plugs, which form the valve that closes the bony narial [nasal] tube," Mead said.
It’s not the first time a strange animal has caused a stir. Check out these videos for some mysterious sea dwellers you may have missed:
Teeth. Teeth everywhere.
Strange creatures washed up in NZ at Pukehina Beach in the Bay of Plenty after violent storms in 2013.
Raw: 18-foot Sea Creature Found Off Calif. Coast
A marine science instructor snorkeling off the Southern California coast spotted the silvery carcass of an 18-foot-long, serpent-like oarfish.
Whale or living relic?
Is this a megaladon shark sighting?
