Endangered pregnant whale found dead on bow of cruise ship in Alaska

A pregnant fin whale was found dead on the bow of a cruise ship that docked Friday in southern Alaska, federal stewards said. The animal was discovered atop the “bulbous bow” of the vessel arriving in Seward, a coastal city off the Gulf of Alaska, according to NOAA Fisheries Alaska. After the 61-foot whale was towed to a beach near the port, NOAA said it began working with the Alaska SeaLife Center on a necropsy to determine the cause of death; the necropsy indicated the whale was pregnant, though details of circumstances had not been released as of Monday. The U.S. law enforcement office of NOAA Fisheries opened an investigation and asked anyone with information to contact its 24-hour hotline. Fin whales are endangered, with vessel strikes cited as a key threat.