Rare Whale Found Dead Off Massachusetts May Have Been Entangled, Authorities Say

Rare Whale Found Dead Off Massachusetts May Have Been Entangled, Authorities Say
A female right whale was found dead off Martha's Vineyard, Mass., on Jan. 28, 2024. Michael Moore/©Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution via AP
The Associated Press
Updated:
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A rare whale found dead off Massachusetts shows potential evidence of injury from entanglement in fishing gear, which is one of the most pressing threats to the vanishing species, federal authorities said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was notified about the dead female North Atlantic right whale on Sunday off Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The right whale numbers less than 360 in the world and it is vulnerable to entanglement in gear and collisions with large ships.