Biologist says whale shark killed by oil pollution

Zhuhai (CNS) -- Marine biologist Zhang Haiquan has determined that oil pollution caused the death of a six-meter-long whale shark that washed up last week on the Golden Beach in Zhuhai, a city located in South China's Guangdong Province.

"No trauma or organ disease were found during the autopsy," said Zhang. "The whale shark died of suffocation because its respiratory system was blocked by oil."

A worker at the site pointed out part of the gills removed from the shark: "If it were a healthy whale shark, the gills would be fresh red, but they are instead covered by oily sediment."