Picture of SCP-730.
Item #: SCP-730
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-730 is to be contained in a watertight, triple-layer titanium sphere, resting at an angle of 80 degrees. This sphere is to remain on the ocean floor. SCP-730's exterior must be monitored at all times.
In the case of a breach of containment, SCP-730 is to be destroyed by means of a shock wave detonation produced at a depth of over 6 kilometers. The appropriate level of redundancy to prevent this has been incorporated into SCP-730's containment procedures.
Description: SCP-730 is a space whale, sentient and sapient. It was retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean in 2001 after a series of unusual migrations along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The whale's mass is currently estimated to be over 2.5 million metric tons, making it the heaviest living animal with known DNA [DATA EXPUNGED]. SCP-730 appears to have grown over 5 meters since being first noticed.
SCP-730 is able to move through water at an extremely slow pace, but is capable of travelling at speeds approaching that of light. SCP-730's skin is composed entirely of a non-biological organic polymer which it seems to be able to generate autonomously, stripping off and replacing damaged sections with new ones at a rate of approximately 10cm per second. This has led some researchers to believe that SCP-730 may be made up entirely of this material, but this theory has been proven wrong.
SCP-730 possesses multiple forms and behaviors which vary naturally over time, but can be divided into four basic types; 'Defense Mode', 'Attacks', 'Hunting', and 'Recover/Dispersal'. All efforts should be made to try to remove SCP-730 from this mode as quickly as possible.
Defense Mode: In Defense Mode, SCP-830 will protect itself by covering its body in a layer of the non-organic polymer which makes up its exterior skin. This polymer eventuates from an unknown internal source and is not replaced during this process. SCP-730 requires very little energy while in Defense Mode; even simple movement can cause it severe pain and discomfort.
Attacks: In Attacks Mode, SCP-830 will attempt to attack any entity (often human) within range by attempting to strike or slap them with its blubbery hands. These attempts typically target the most vulnerable portions of the victim's body; often on the head or face areas, but no hard rule has been established for this behavior. These attacks typically require significant force (upwards of 3 tons of pressure) but appear to do no long term damage besides causing bruising and swelling. Victims are usually freed of these phenomena after contact with SCP-730 ends, although persistent injury can occur if contact between user and subject is maintained for more than 5 minutes.
Hunting: In Hunting Mode, SCP-830 will take actions similar to those displayed in attacks mode when near prey; however, these actions generally occur more fluidly and quickly than during Attacking Mode. Typically victims are observed swimming towards their attacker rather than attempting escape from it. Victims caught in this mode initially appear hesitant and in some cases would simply swim away if given time; however most victims have been reported to either be unwilling or unaware of their surroundings for the duration of their time affected by the hunting state; animals afflicted in this manner are commonly found dragging themselves along shorelines or just lying around immobile or unconscious.
Recovery/Dispersal: In Recovery/Dispersal Mode, SCP-830 will tend to pursue objects emitting bright light such as flares or projectors attached to aircraft (but not satellites). Despite its size and mass, SCP-830 has demonstrated an ability to return quickly towards Earth once it has been released from one such object (such as the ISS when retrieved on ██/██/02). It has also demonstrated an uncanny ability not only to return towards Earth but also navigate space within several hundred kilometers in order to rejoin its mother body [DATA EXPUNGED]. The reason for this behavior is unknown.
Addendum: The following is a transcript of an interview with SCP-730 conducted in 2002.
Interviewer: Dr. ██████
Interviewed: SCP-730
Foreword: This interview was conducted after SCP-730\'s return from space and prior to the destruction of SCP-730 by means of the shock wave detonation.
Dr. ██████: Good morning, SCP-730. I hope you slept well.
SCP-730: Why? You don\'t have to talk to me anymore?
Dr. ██████: No, no; nothing like that. It\'s just that we\'re going to be destroying you in just a few minutes now, so we need to get some questions answered. Maybe you can use this time to rest up before being destroyed?
SCP-730: Well… maybe. Why do you want to destroy me?
Dr. ██████: Oh, we\'re not going to destroy you, SCP-730; we\'re just going to make sure you don\'t cause any more damage. Come on, can\'t you tell how excited everyone is about this?
SCP-730: Excited? You mean you\'re going to blow me up?
Dr. ██████: No, no; we\'re not going to blow you up. We\'re just going to make sure you stay in one place for a little while longer. You\'re not going anywhere until you\'ve answered our questions, okay?
SCP-730: Okay, okay… Is this for fun?
Dr. ██████: It\'s for science! Now are you ready to answer my questions?
SCP-730: Yeah… I think so. What do you want to know?
Dr. ██████: First of all, what is your name?
SCP-730: \'I\'m sorry…\' What do you want me to say? My name isn\'t important, is it?
Dr. ██████: Well… no, but it will be important later when we figure out what happened there and it helps us understand what makes you tick better. Would you mind telling us your name?
SCP-730: Of course not; it\'s "Whale". Everyone calls me that. It\'s a short name though - I\'m \'The Whale\'.
Dr. ██████: Okay, "The Whale", that\'s great! Can I call you "The Whale" from now on?
SCP-730: Sure… but my friends call me "Poppa". You know… like the father in the movie with Brendan Fraser and Sigourney Weaver… or whatever that was called with that guy who played the guy who got eaten by the shark in Jaws… something like that… Anyway, I don\'t know how they found me; maybe they saw a movie about whales or something? Anyway, they named me Poppa and that\'s when I knew they wanted me here forever. Never wanted to leave again; they promised they would take good care of me and never let anything bad happen to me ever again… so I said yes and here I am! It\'s been wonderful! And now I\'m going back home again!
Dr. ██████: No, no; it\'s for science! But anyway, before we go on - would you mind answering another question for us? We\'ve noticed you\'ve been following some sort of hunting behavior lately; been following people around and chasing them down when they leave their boats or whatever at night. Any idea why that might be?
SCP-730: Oh! Oh yeah… cause they look like whales! Bad whale!