NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. (WPRI) — A dead humpback whale has washed ashore on Block Island.
Sarah Callan, the animal rescue program manager at Mystic Aquarium, told 12 News a team from the aquarium went to Block Island and took measurements and basic tissue samples from the animal on Monday.
The whale is a female and is more than 49 feet long. Based on her size, the aquarium believes she is an adult.
According to Callan, the whale was fairly decomposed internally and could have already been dead for several days.
There were no signs of entanglement or other obvious causes of death, but the aquarium is sending the tissue samples to pathologists to see if disease played a role.
Mystic Aquarium is working with the Center for Coastal Studies to see if they can identify the whale.
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Each summer, many whales journey to New England waters to feed, Callan said. Since 2016, only 11 dead humpback whales have been found in Rhode Island waters.
It is important to stay away from dead whales, Callan told 12 News, since the animals may be carrying zoonotic diseases or other pathogens. It is also illegal to touch whales, whether they're alive or dead, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The aquarium is hoping the high tide will take the animal's body back out to sea. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management says it will assist the aquarium if there are any removal efforts in the future.
