Scientists and town officials on Nantucket are still trying to figure out what to do about a humongous dead whale that washed up on the Massachusetts island on Sunday.
The town of Nantucket told WBZ-TV Wednesday that it’s working with federal officials “to determine the best course of action regarding the whale that washed ashore.”
The sperm whale is a male that measures 50 feet long and weighs about 104,000 pounds, or 52 tons, according to Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket. The group has consulted with experts on a plan, but says the whale cannot be moved inland so it’s subject to the tides.
“The conclusion was that this whale was far too big, awkward and heavy to remove from the beach,” the organization said in a statement. “No amount of equipment could pull it off.”
The dead sperm whale on Nantucket.
Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket
It’s not clear yet how the whale died. Scientists are unable to do a full necropsy, but they are taking samples from the carcass and will send them a lab for testing.
Even though the whale is dead, the law requires people to stay 300 feet away from the scene on the north shore of the island.
“We encourage you to view this magnificent animal with respect and reverence, and within the law,” the alliance said. “Binoculars would be helpful.”
According to The Nantucket Current, this is the first sperm whale to wash ashore on the island since 2002. The skeleton of that whale is now hanging in the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Â
Sperm whales are an endangered species but can be found all over the world. The largest of the toothed whales, they will dive 2,000 feet deep to feast on squid, sharks and fish, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They can live up to 60 years old.
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