Federal authorities in the United States have launched an investigation after the carcass of an endangered whale was discovered lodged on the bow of a commercial container ship at a port in New Jersey.
Discovery and Response at Gloucester Terminal
The grim discovery was first reported on Sunday, 4 January 2026, by the United States Coast Guard at the Gloucester Marine Terminal. This port facility is situated at the base of the Walt Whitman Bridge, which connects the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania along the Delaware River.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center, a local animal rescue service, was alerted and confirmed the find. In a social media update on Tuesday, 6 January, the centre stated it was coordinating efforts to tow the massive carcass away from the ship. The primary goal is to conduct a full necropsy—an animal autopsy—to establish the precise cause of death.
Federal Investigation Underway
Confirming the seriousness of the incident, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on Tuesday that its enforcement office has opened a formal investigation into the whale's death. The agency declined to provide further details while the probe is active but urged anyone with information to contact its dedicated hotline.
The deceased animal is believed to be a fin whale, an endangered species, measuring between 25 and 30 feet in length (7.6 to 9.1 metres). These whales are known to frequent the waters from southern New Jersey up to the New York City area.
Protected Giants Facing Multiple Threats
Fin whales are the second-largest animals on the planet, surpassed only by the blue whale. Adults can grow up to 85 feet (25.9 metres) long and weigh a staggering 40 to 80 tons. Populations in the Atlantic Ocean have seen a gradual recovery due to conservation efforts, following historical declines from commercial hunting.
All marine mammals, including whales, dolphins, and porpoises, are protected under the US federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. This law makes it illegal to harass, hunt, capture, kill, or attempt any of these actions against the animals.
Despite protections, fin whales worldwide face significant threats. These include collisions with vessels (ship strikes), becoming entangled in fishing gear, and the broader impacts of climate change on their marine ecosystems. The ongoing investigation will seek to determine if any of these factors, or a direct interaction with the container ship, led to this whale's death.
