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. Fin whales are an endangered species that is particularly threatened by vessel strikes. The whale was discovered on top of the "bulbous bow" of a cruise ship arriving in Seward, a coastal city off the Gulf of Alaska, said NOAA Fisheries Alaska . The U.S. government agency is responsible for managing and conserving the nation's ocean resources, including marine life and their habitats, with different branches scattered across the country. After the 61-foot whale was towed to a beach near the port in Seward, NOAA Fisheries said it began working with the Alaska SeaLife Center, a wildlife organization, to perform a necropsy — an autopsy for animals — on the adult female in hopes of determining its cause of death. Although neither group has shared details about those circumstances as of Monday, they said the necropsy did indicate that the whale was pregnant. "Please stay off the beach at the necropsy site for your safety and to allow space for the team to perform the examination and collect samples," said NOAA Fisheries Alaska in a Facebook post, adding that "it is illegal for anyone to collect tissue, baleen or any part of the whale, unless you are an Alaska Native collecting tissue or parts for subsistence or use in handicrafts." The law enforcement office of NOAA Fisheries has opened an investigation into the fin whale's death. …