Skip to content
NOWCAST News 9 Tonight
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Endangered right whale found dead, wrapped in fishing gear

43-foot-long whale found near Boothbay

WMTW
WMTW
Advertisement
Endangered right whale found dead, wrapped in fishing gear
43-foot-long whale found near Boothbay
Federal investigators are looking into the death of a 43-foot-long endangered right whale that was found off the coast of Maine with fishing gear wrapped around her body.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the adult female whale was found Friday near Boothbay with fishing gear ropes wrapped around her head, mouth, flippers and tail. She weighed about 45 tons.The whale was towed to a Gorham farm. A necropsy was performed Sunday.The group is trying to determine who owns the fishing gear. It wasn't immediately known what, if any, punishment could be handed down.Officials said there are an estimated 500 right whales living in the North Atlantic. They feed by opening their mouths and swimming through groups of zooplankton.

Federal investigators are looking into the death of a 43-foot-long endangered right whale that was found off the coast of Maine with fishing gear wrapped around her body.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the adult female whale was found Friday near Boothbay with fishing gear ropes wrapped around her head, mouth, flippers and tail. She weighed about 45 tons.

Advertisement

Related Content

The whale was towed to a Gorham farm. A necropsy was performed Sunday.

The group is trying to determine who owns the fishing gear. It wasn't immediately known what, if any, punishment could be handed down.

Officials said there are an estimated 500 right whales living in the North Atlantic. They feed by opening their mouths and swimming through groups of zooplankton.