An endangered 44-foot whale was found dead on the bow of a cruise ship that sailed into New York.
On Saturday, May 4, MSC Cruises’ MSC Meraviglia docked in Brooklyn Harbor, where the animal – identified as a mature female sei whale by the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society – was discovered.
“It is with deep regret that we can confirm that on Saturday a whale was discovered on the bow of our ship as the ship approached New York Harbor,” an MSC spokesperson said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
“We immediately notified the relevant authorities who are now conducting an inspection of the whale,” they added.
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MSC Meraviglia docked at Port Canaveral. Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of any marine life. We have comprehensive measures in place to avoid collisions, such as training all our deck officers with the Ocean Research and Conservation Association (ORCA) and follow regulations designed to protect whales and other marine life,” it continued. in the press release.
“This includes changing itineraries in certain regions to avoid whales, and we will continue to evaluate and update our procedures with our partners and authorities,” the company said. After a stop in New York, MSC Meraviglia called on ports in New England and Canada.
Right whales are endangered and are usually seen in deeper waters far from shore, according to a message shared on Facebook by the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.
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“The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Office of Law Enforcement is investigating this incident. The whale was moved and towed ashore in Sandy Hook, New Jersey to allow better access for heavy equipment and resources to perform an autopsy,” the post added.
Andrea Gomez of NOAA Fisheries did not immediately respond to PEOPLE when reached for comment.
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The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society confirmed that “a necropsy (animal autopsy) revealed evidence of tissue trauma along the right scapula and a fractured right fin. The whale’s gastrointestinal tract was also full of food.”
“Most other organs were also sampled for toxicological and other life history studies,” the message added. “Collected tissue and bone samples will help biologists determine whether the vessel interaction occurred before or after death,”
According to NOAA’s website, sei whales are fast swimmers that can reach speeds of over 34 miles per hour, adding that the average sei whale eats about 2,000 pounds of food per day.
“Vessel collisions and entanglements represent the greatest threat to cetaceans today,” the website states.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education