A sperm whale, estimated to be a female between three and five-years-old, died after washing up on Rockaway Beach in New York City on Tuesday. PIX11 reports that the Parks Department was told about the approximately 30-foot sperm whale near Beach 73rd Street around 9 a.m. They’re working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS), and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation on a plan for examination and disposal.

According to AMSEAS, the whale is the sixth large whale stranded in New York since Oct. 20, 2022. Two others were sperm whales. The group plans on performing a necropsy within the next several days, a NOAA spokesperson said.

Construction workers, who were building a seawall in the area, were the first to discover the large mammal. They immediately contacted the Parks Department, NYPD, and Department of Environmental Conservation. Instead of waiting for help to arrive, the construction workers and nearby surfers attempted to move the whale to deeper water but were unsuccessful.

“Please remember that dolphins, porpoises, and whales are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes touching, feeding, or otherwise coming into contact with these animals illegal,” an NOAA spokesperson said. “The best way to assist these animals, and keep them and yourself safe, is by calling trained responders and maintaining a 150-foot distance. Never attempt to return a large whale or other marine mammal back to the water without guided support from trained responders. Additionally, sperm whales are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.”

Sperm whale dies on Rockaway Beach despite surfers’ efforts to save endangered mammal