Gray whale washes ashore on Southern California beach

Drone footage captured a gray whale that washed ashore in Malibu over the weekend.

The photographer, Cody Boone, had been flying his drone Saturday when he spotted the whale being pushed to-and-fro by the surf very near the shoreline off Point Dume.

Protected under the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, gray whales can weigh up to 90,000 pounds (about 40823.28 kg) and span anywhere from 42 to 49 feet in length, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The gray whale migrates between 10,000-14,0000 miles round trip, making it one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal.

During their journey, the mammals face the threat of entanglement in fishing gear and being struck by vessels. Another potential danger are killer whales, which are known to prey on the gray whale.

Outside of feeding and breeding grounds, the gray whale is often considered something of a loner, though they are sometimes spotted in small groups that do not generally stay together.

“Gray whales suck sediment and food from the sea floor by rolling on their sides and swimming slowly along, filtering their food through 130 to 180 coarse baleen plates on each side of their upper jaw,” according to NOAA. “In doing so, they often leave long trails of mud behind them and ‘feeding pits’ on the seafloor.”

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Officials with the California Wildlife Center said that the adult male gray whale in Malibu, which died after it washed ashore, is estimated to be around 13,000 pounds.

“We are currently planning to get samples from the whale to help determine why this happened,” CWC said in a post to social media. “NOAA and CWC are working together to formulate a plan for next steps.”

Officials added that the whale, which is wedged in the sand, may shift as the tide rises and encouraged beachgoers to keep a safe distance.

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