A humpback whale that washed up at Norton Point beach 10 days ago likely died from gear entanglement, a preliminary examination has determined.
“We collected skin samples, blubber thickness and some histology samples from abrasions on the mammal that looked like potential entanglement through the mouth,” said Sam Hart, Islands director for the Trustees of Reservations, speaking to the Gazette by phone last week.
Ordinarily in the event of a stranded whale, scientists from NOAA would travel to the Island to do a necropsy but were unable to do so due to weather conditions and Covid restrictions. Mr. Hart said he was instructed through the process via video call by a scientist from the IFAW Marine Mammal Rescue & Research Center in Yarmouth. The humpback, now known to be a small male, 28 feet in length, was found washed up at Norton Point by a passerby on Friday, Dec. 4. The next day a strong northeast storm struck the Vineyard, and the carcass was pushed eastward along the Atlant