Hundreds of people flock to state park to see deceased beached whale

RYE HARBOR STATE PARK, NH (WGME) -- It's a sight many apparently don't want to miss.

Hundreds of people have been heading to the coast of New Hampshire, to see the remains of a 40-ton whale.

Staff with the Blue Ocean Society of Marine Conservation tell CBS 13, it is an 18-year-old female whale.

Researchers named the whale Snow Plow, for the white marks on her body, and have been tracking her since 1998.

Officials received reports yesterday of a dead whale floating in the water about 20 miles off shore.

It washed up later in the day at Rye Harbor State Park.

Traffic was congested in the area as crowds of people stopped to see the whale and take pictures.

Many say they're impressed by its size, but were sad to see it.

"Really surprised at the sheer size of it. It's just incredible how big it is," says Michael Healy.

"The last time we saw her was in 2014, on our whale watch boats so it's sad to see the whale after all those years and see her here, unfortunately on the beach," says Emily Jaster, Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation.

People with the conservatory say they will conduct what's called a necropsy, as soon as tomorrow to see how the whale died and if it may have been struck by a ship.