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Carcass of 25-30 foot long whale spotted on bow of ship sailing on Delaware River

Published  January 6, 2026 11:19am EST
Wild Nature
FOX 29 Philadelphia

The Brief

    • The carcass of a 25-30 foot whale became caught on the bow of a ship sailing along the Delaware River over the weekend.
    • The whale is believed to be a Fin Whale, but animal welfare workers are waiting to recover the carcass.
    • The Marine Mammal Stranding Center is working to recover the carcass and investigate its death.

PHILADELPHIA - Wildlife officials say the carcass of a dead whale became caught on the bow of a ship sailing down the Delaware River over the weekend.

What we know:

The U.S. Coast Guard says watchstanders spotted the carcass of the dead fin while slumped over the bow of a ship at the Gloucest City marine terminal on Sunday.

The animal is believed to be a 25–30-foot-long fin whale, but animal welfare experts are waiting to recover the carcass to confirm the species' identity. 

What's next:

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said it's working with local authorities to retrieve the carcass and investigate what caused the whale's death.

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