UPDATE: The whale carcass has been found.
See the original story below.
The Town of Stratford is looking for information on a rare pygmy sperm whale carcass that disappeared after washing ashore in December.
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The body of a rare pygmy sperm whale was found on Russian Beach in Stratford in December.
According to a letter from the town’s Conservation Administrator Christina Senft-Batoh, the whale was first discovered in early December on Russian Beach. After a major storm, the whale was spotted further along the beach, near Lordship Road. Officials believe at some point on December 30 the carcass was removed from the beach, possibly with a cart or ATV.
After the whale disappeared, Stratford officials learned the Yale Peabody Museum was looking to obtain permits to collect the rare whale. Officials said there are few, if any, accounts of the species being found in the Long Island Sound. The town is now searching for the whale in hopes of giving the museum a chance to research it.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries division, pygmy sperm whales have protected status. In the U.S., they live off the coasts of Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, the North Atlantic, and the northern Gulf of Mexico. Because they avoid vessels and planes, and only surface when the seas are very calm, scientists rarely see them and there is limited information available about the species.
Local
Anyone with information on where the whale carcass wound up is asked to reach out to Senft-Batoh at 203-385-4006. Calls can be made anonymously and there will be no penalty from the town.
Residents are encouraged to contact the Conservation Division, which is part of the Department of Public Works, anytime they come across a stranded or dead animal on the beach.
