OUTER BANKS, N.C. — A 16,000-pound, 34-foot-long whale washed ashore on the Outer Banks between Avon and Buxton this week.
The National Park Service said the whale's death was likely due to the fishing line wrapped around its tail fluke.
"They’re migrating from high latitudes up north where the feeding grounds are to the West Indies area where the mating and calving grounds are,” Senior Scientist Alex Costidis with the Virginia Aquarium said.
What do you do if you come across a stranded marine mammal?
“Keep a safe distance both for your safety and the animals' safety and because there are laws about approaching too closely,” Costidis said.
In Virginia, you should also call the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Team at 757-385-7575
Scientists are working to determine the cause of death for this particular whale.
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