The long saga of the 48-foot whale that washed up on the shores of Cook Inlet in November continued this week.

In December 2024, Iceland’s government granted Hvalur hf., run by billionaire Kristján Loftsson, a five-year license to hunt 209 fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) each year between 2025 and 2029.

The fins belonged to Bryde’s whales, a species that is rarely seen in Thailand ... They have a characteristically small dorsal fin and 40 to 50 grooves in their throat that expand when feeding ...