BOURNE, Mass. -- Researchers say preliminary findings show a North Atlantic right whale may have been struck by a ship before the animal was found dead in Massachusetts waters.
Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say bruising consistent with blunt trauma could be evidence of a ship strike.
North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered; only a few hundred still exist in the world.
NOAA is urging vessels to keep a close watch for right whales, which often swim just below the water's surface and can be hard to see.
The 27-foot long, 1-year-old female was found dead in Cape Cod Bay on Thursday and towed to a harbour where it could be placed on a flatbed for transport. A final analysis is expected to take weeks.
