Officials have determined that a deceased sperm whale that washed up on the north shore of Nantucket on Sunday is too big to move for a necropsy.
Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket (MMAN) Executive Director Pam Murphy estimated the 50-foot male whale weighs 104,000 lbs. The decision not to move the whale came Monday after MMAN conferred with experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and local heavy equipment operator Trevor Barrett.
“Given the tides and the size, we will do as thorough an examination in place that we can, taking as many samples as we possibly can,” she said.
Murphy said the cause of death is yet to be determined but there is no visible sign of an entanglement. She noted there is a gash visible on one side, but its cause is not obvious, and there is a lot of damage to the head.
Murphy said sperm whales are protected under the endangered species act. That means it’s illegal to get within 300 feet of the whale. But, she said, it’s a sight to see.
“So bring your binoculars and have a look,” she said. “It’s not something you’re going to see again, I wouldn’t think, anytime soon.”
Murphy said she believes the whale has only been dead a few days, adding that its internal organs will deteriorate quickly.
