South Kingstown Fin Whale Had Infectious Brain Disease

A fin whale that died after being stranded off South Kingstown last week has been examined.

The 42-foot-long whale, which weighed about 25-thousand pounds underwent a necropsy,

Sarah Callan of Mystic Aquarium's Animal Rescue Program says the whale had parasites in its kidneys and had findings consistent with an infectious brain disease.

Callan noted the whale, even if returned to the sea would not have lived long. Callan also noted it is rare to conduct such examinations on whales, and doing so provides useful scientific information.

Fin whales are the second-largest species on Earth and are considered an endangered species.

 (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)