First sperm whale in 23 years strands on US island, will be towed to sea

Nantucket officials confirmed that the massive sperm whale that washed ashore on Nantucket’s popular 40th Pole beach last weekend will be towed dozens of miles out to sea before Thanksgiving.

The announcement was made after marine biologists analysed that the 52-ton carcass was too large to move inland for a full examination.

The 50 ft male whale that has been stranded on the island since 2002. The largest toothed predators on Earth rarely make such an occurrence.

Researchers from International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the New England Aquarium will perform a “window necropsy” on the beach as a full necroscopy is not possible.

Under window necroscopy, the biologists will cut small access points to retrieve vital organs, blubber, and samples of tissues to analyse the cause of death.

Officials removed the whale’s lower jawbone on Wednesday, November 19. This was done to prevent the theft of the valuable ivory teeth, which is prohibited under the Maritime Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act.

Pam Murphy of the Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket stated, “If stuff like that gets onto the black market, it only creates more risk of poaching endangered animals.”

Town Manager Libby Gibson confirmed that a tugboat will soon tow the whale “many, many, many miles away” to make sure it does not drift back to shore.