Capt. Dave Peros was fishing with Barney Keezell down the Elizabeth’s on Monday morning when they stumbled across a decomposing right whale washed up on Nashawena Island. This is the 16th North Atlantic right whale found dead in 2017, which has been a catastrophic year for the species. According to IFAW’s Twitter page, they are working with NOAA to determine the cause of death.
A dead leatherback turtle was also found this week on the shores of Falmouth, which serves as a reminder to notify IFAW, which has an office on Cape Cod, or the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown of the location of all marine mammal species in distress and/or spotted close to shore.