Dead whale found on US ship's bow: investigation launched

An investigation has been launched in the US state of New Jersey after a dead whale, listed as an endangered species, was found on the bow of a container ship moored at the port.

The incident occurred at the Gloucester Marine Terminal, located at the base of the Walt Whitman Bridge, which connects New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The discovery was reported by the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday, after which specialists from the New Jersey Marine Mammal Care Centre arrived at the site.

Centre officials said Tuesday that the animal's body was being prepared to be towed for an autopsy. The necropsy is expected to determine the exact cause of the whale's death.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed that its enforcement service has officially opened an investigation. The agency urged anyone who may have information about the incident to contact a special hotline.

According to preliminary information, the whale in question is a fin whale between 7.5 and 9 metres long. This species of whale is endangered and is found off the coast from southern New Jersey to the New York area.

Fin whale populations in the Atlantic Ocean have only begun to recover in recent decades after near extinction due to commercial whaling. In the United States, all whales, dolphins and porpoises are protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. Any contact with them, including touching and harming them, is prohibited.

Fin whales are the second largest animals on the planet after blue whales. Adults can reach 26 metres in length and weigh up to 80 tonnes. Among the main threats to these animals are collisions with ships, entanglement in fishing gear and the effects of climate change.