A dead humpback whale has been spotted in waters near Will’s Gut in Harpswell.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration believes that this is the same carcass that was observed by the Coast Guard earlier this month. In a statement, an agency spokesperson said that due to decomposition, a full necropsy is unlikely.
NOAA and the town of Harpswell are discussing disposal options. Harpswell officials said disposal would be difficult due to the location of the carcass, which is near Cribstone Bridge.
This is at least the second humpback whale that was found dead off the Maine coast within the last month. NOAA is investigating the death of a 40-foot-female known as Chunk, who was found entangled in a fishing net off Cape Elizabeth three weeks ago.
NOAA has been tracking an unusually high number of humpback mortalities along the Atlantic coast since 2016. The agency has observed 12 humpback strandings along the East Coast so far this year.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
