The carcass of a decomposing sperm whale, which was seen off a Hawaiian beach and already towed out to sea once, has returned to shore.

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The whale was first reported Jan. 10 about a mile from the Kewalo Basin with a frenzy of tiger sharks feeding off it, the Hawaii Star-Advertiser reported.

As it floated closer to the Sand Island State Recreation Area, officials towed the rotting corpse Jan. 12 about 15 miles off the south shore of Oahu.

About two-thirds of the whale returned Saturday near Campbell Industrial Park.

University of Hawaii researchers are using the opportunity to collect samples.

Officials who towed the mammal away once are now determining what they will do next.

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Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney — pictured during a hearing Monday, Dec. 15, 2025 — has cleared the way for Georgia's State Election Board to obtain Fulton ballots and other documents from the 2020 election. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

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