Dead Humpback Whale Washes Ashore On Cape Cod
CAPE COD (CBS) -- A dead humpback whale recently washed up on the shores of Cape Cod.
The International Fund For Animal Welfare says they received a report from the Center of Coastal Studies about a dead humpback last week in Provincetown Harbor.
The whale was identified as a sub-adult humpback at around 30 feet in length.
A team of six IFAW staff did an autopsy and determined the cause of death was "chronic entanglement", meaning it got caught in fishing gear. There was also no food found in the whale's stomach.
"While we aim to thoroughly examine every whale case that washes up on shore, cases like this one are a strong reminder of how important this work is to determine how we as humans impact these animals," said Misty Niemeyer, stranding coordinator for IFAW's Marine Mammal Rescue & Research team.
The carcass was left on the beach to decompose naturally.