A group out fishing off Cape Lookout found a dead sperm whale stranded on a remote North Carolina beach over the weekend, according to N.C. State University's Center for Marine Sciences and Technology.
Researchers say the whale was a young male, weighing about 16 tons. They could not figure out the cause of death, but collected samples in hopes of learning more about what happened.
The group included two veterinarians from N.C. State, who contacted the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology. A team from N.C. State and the University of North Carolina Wilmington went out to examine the whale, according to both universities.
Sperm whales are the largest of the toothed whales and are found in oceans around the world, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and as depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
"The species is still recovering, and its numbers are likely increasing," NOAA said.
Male sperm whales can grow to more than 50 feet and weigh up to 45 tons, according to NOAA. They can live up to 60 years.