A whale that was spotted¹ near Shanghai had been dead for more than 10 days, and its left pectoral fin² was possibly cut by people, said an expert after examining it.

近日，上海惊现一头搁浅鲸鱼，专家在检查之后表示，这头鲸鱼已经死亡10天以上，而且鲸鱼的左胸鳍很可能被人为割下。

The dead animal was a fin whale, a second-class national-level protected animal, said Tang Wenqiao, a professor from Shanghai Ocean University, who checked the whale on-site last Tuesday morning.

上海海洋大学教授唐文乔于上周二早间现场检查了这头鲸鱼，他表示，这头鲸鱼是国家二级保护动物长须鲸。

The whale measured about 22 meters and weighed about 20 tons. Its body was well preserved, except for its missing left pectoral fin, and some parts had already decayed.

这头鲸鱼长约22米，重约20吨。鲸鱼身体部分保存完好--除了不翼而飞的胸鳍，一些部位已经腐烂。

Tang said that judging from the whale's wound, the fin was possibly cut by people, and the whale died more than 10 days.

唐文乔教授表示，从鲸鱼的伤口判断，这头长须鲸可能被人切割过，鲸鱼的死亡时间已经超过了10天。

Lu Haibing, owner of a fishing boat, said he first saw the whale on March 19, and the left fin was already missing.

据渔船老板卢海兵表示，他第一次看到这头鲸鱼是在3月19日，当时鲸鱼的左胸鳍就已经不见了。

Fishermen reported the sighting of the whale to police at around 1:00 pm on March 20, and were asked to bring the whale back to port.

3月20日下午1点左右，渔民们把目击到鲸鱼一事报告给了警察，并被要求拖鲸鱼回港。

Police said the authorities have asked marine³ biology experts to examine the cause of the death.

据警方表示，当局已经要求海洋生物专家检查鲸鱼的死因。