PROVINCETOWN – An aproximately 15 foot beaked whale stranded in Provincetown Harbor Wednesday afternoon. The whale was spotted thrashing and bleeding in the “cove” area of the harbor in the far west end of town. Animal Control Officer Ruthann Cowing and Provincetown Police Officer Jason Sullivan waded out to the scene and attempted to assist the whale along with a representative from the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies. They tried to keep the whale moving until volunteers from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) could arrive.
Its called a beaked whale because of its dolphin-like nose
Sadly, the whale did not survive. An IFAW spokeperson said there were no obvious signs of an animal bite nor a propeller strike, but the whale was considerably underweight. The Provincetown Harbormaster along with IFAW personnel towed the whale to MacMillan Wharf where it loaded on a truck. It will be taken to an IFAW facility for a necropsy.
Top photo and cell video courtesy of Tom Cunningham; other video and lower photos by Tim Caldwell/CWN
Sooo sad.