The sperm whale carcass first spotted outside of Kewalo Basin earlier this month will remain beached by Campbell Industrial Park, where it washed back ashore after three attempts to tow it out to sea, according to state and federal officials.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said they decided to leave the carcass in place and let nature take its course. Meanwhile, researchers will study the carcass as it decomposes to learn more about the whales.

“We’re happy to announce the saga of this sperm whale has hopefully come to an end, at least for it moving around,” said David Schofield, marine mammal response coordinator for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. “We continue to ask people not to disturb this carcass, as both state and federal laws could come into play. Additionally, due to the possible presence of bones and tissues in the nearshore waters, there could be continued shark activity.”

After conducting a necropsy, Kristi West, head of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology’s Marine Mammal Stranding Lab, said there was no evidence the whale had ingested marine debris or plastics.

The adult male sperm whale measured about 55 feet in length and had little in its stomach, indicating it “was likely sick and struggling” before dying at sea, she said. Researchers will also look for evidence of bone disease, but many of its teeth and the lower jaw had already been removed with a chain saw.

The whale’s carcass was first spotted Jan. 10 outside of Kewalo Basin. It then drifted to a rock outcropping near Sand Island State Recreation Area. Two days later the state, NOAA and Honolulu Ocean Safety towed it about 15 miles into the open ocean, but currents brought it back to a reef off of Oahu’s South Shore.

While it was at sea, North Shore dive tour leader Ocean Ramsey made waves worldwide when she shared photos and video of herself swimming with a great white shark that was feeding off of the carcass.

State officials Jan. 17 said they were investigating a video of a man standing on the whale, as well as reports that others had removed some of its teeth, actions that are violations of federal and state laws.

On Jan. 19 the crew again towed the carcass about 2.5 miles offshore, and currents again brought it to the beach where it now remains.

Malia Akutaga, assistant professor at the University of Hawaii and a member of Kia‘i Kanaloa, a network of Native Hawaiian cultural and religious practitioners, said the group is asking the community to keep a respectful and safe distance from the whale’s remains.

The group has offered prayers to help the whale transition to eternity, she said.

Noelani Puniwai, assistant professor of Hawaiian studies at UH Manoa, said whales represent “our kupuna who traveled from far, distant places.”

“They are amazing messengers, as we can learn so much from them and [they] help us to determine our own roles in the environment,” she said in a written statement.

Humpback calf carcass

Officials also responded to a humpback whale calf carcass that washed ashore on Kauai on Monday morning. The calf is estimated to be one to two weeks old, according to West, and while researchers have not confirmed a cause of death, it had markings consistent with a boat propeller or attacks by sharks.

“We are using it as an opportunity to learn more about Hawaii’s humpbacks especially in this time of concern that our humpbacks may be undergoing a population decline,” she said.

SPERM WHALE CARCASS TIMELINE

>> Jan. 10 — Whale’s carcass spotted outside Kewalo Basin before ending up near Sand Island State Recreation Area.

>> Jan. 12 — Carcass towed from Sand Island about 15 miles out into the open ocean, but southerly currents bring it back to a reef off of Oahu’s South Shore the following week.

>> Jan. 17 — Second tow attempt foiled by rough surf and unsafe sea conditions.

>> Jan. 19 — Third tow attempt. Carcass towed about 2.5 miles offshore. Currents again bring it onto beach near Campbell Industrial Park, where it currently rests.

>> Jan. 29 — NOAA and state officials announce the carcass will not be towed again, will remain where it is.