Dead Pygmy Sperm Whale Found on West Hampton Dunes Beach , New York

By Erica Jackson

An adult pygmy sperm whale was discovered 500 feet from the shore near 901 Dune Road in West Hampton Dunes

on Wednesday night, according to Aram Terchunian, the commissioner of wildlife protection for the village.

The whale, discovered Wednesday night, was 9 feet long and weighed 800 pounds

Terchunian said the whale was found by Trustee Catherine Woolfson and her son, Liam, while combing the beach.

The whale, which was 9 feet long and 800 pounds, was already dead when it was found.

“It is very rare to find a whale of this size washed up on the beach,” Terchunian said.

Terchunian said it is unclear why the whale died and that the

 Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation is investigating.

Terchunian said it took a coordinated effort to remove the whale from the beach because vehicles are restricted from driving on the beach during plover season.

“The whale had to be manually removed,” said Terchunian, noting that the whale was transported to the Riverhead Foundation for necropsy at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

“We were very excited to see … Photos (4)

westhampton-hamptonbays.patch.com

Fair Use: Educational