Humpback Whales: 'Unusual' Deaths Off Cape Cod

MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA — Federal marine officials are investigating an "unusually high" number of humpback whale deaths up and down the East Coast. There have been 42 deaths and counting since 2016, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. About half showed evidence of boat strikes, a common cause of death for all whales. But the cause of deaths of 10 humpback whales is unknown, officials said.

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"A portion of the whales have shown evidence of pre-mortem vessel strike," the fisheries service said in a statement. "However, this finding is not consistent across all of the whales examined so more research is needed."

The fisheries service said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of deaths of those 10 whales.

Lead photo: A humpback whale's tail fin. (Credit: noaa.gov)