The humpback whale that washed up at Norton Point beach Dec. 4 likely died from gear entanglement, a preliminary examination has determined.
The deaths of 13 North Atlantic right whales in the United States and Canada this year is being considered an unusual mortality event, triggering an investigation into the cause.
Researchers are analyzing samples taken from a dead humpback whale that washed up on the south shore of Martha’s Vineyard this week.
By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL
A badly decomposed 37-foot young humpback whale washed up on South Beach on Friday night.
Sgt. Matthew Bass of the state environmental police said the whale was first spotted in the wash Friday afternoon, in an out of reach on a private beach near Job’s Neck Pond.
A juvenile humpback whale that made an errant visit and got stuck in Katama Bay on Sunday afternoon is believed to be okay and swimming the ocean. A group of Islanders, with help from the staff of the New England Aquarium, were able to monitor and eventually see the whale as it swam out into Nantucket Sound late Monday morning.
The 20-foot-plus whale, weighing 10 tons or more, was first spotted on Sunday afternoon by staff of The Trustees of Reservations at Norton Point. At the time it was thought the marine mammal was entangled and in distress in Katama Bay.
