GLOUCESTER CITY, N.J. – A dead whale discovered late Sunday night on the bow of a ship docked at a marine terminal in Gloucester City has prompted a joint investigation by federal and local authorities, officials confirmed.
At approximately 11:15 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay reported the sighting and alerted the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC). The animal, tentatively identified as a fin whale measuring between 25 and 30 feet in length, was found caught on the vessel’s bow upon arrival.
MMSC responders arrived at the terminal to secure the carcass and coordinate with local agencies to establish a staging area for recovery and examination. A necropsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death and confirm the whale’s species identification.
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is leading the investigation to determine how and where the incident occurred. Fin whales are the second-largest whale species in the world and are classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
Officials said updates on the recovery effort and examination results will be provided through the Marine Mammal Stranding Center’s media center and social media platforms as information becomes available.
