“I have never seen anything like this”

Sharks were observed feeding on a dead humpback whale floating off the south coast. (Screenshot from the Sharktivity app)

Recently, a pair of great white sharks were spotted devouring a dead humpback whale floating in Cape Cod Bay off the south coast.

Passengers on the charter boat Elizabeth Marie had a front-row seat as apex predators attacked the dead whale off the coast of Scituate, including a great white shark estimated to be five meters long, which feasted on the carcass.

“We saw something I’ve never seen before,” posted EM Fishing from Scituate. “2 great white sharks eating a dead humpback whale!”

The U.S. Coast Guard was notified Friday of a dead humpback whale floating off the southern coast. Researchers identified the whale as Lollipop, an adult female last seen on June 1 in apparently good health.

Whale and Dolphin Conservation and Center for Coastal Studies went to the scene to investigate the whale’s death.

“No entanglement material was found on the whale,” wrote NOAA Fisheries New England/Mid-Atlantic. “After documentation, a large satellite tracking tag was successfully attached to the whale. This will allow us to monitor the whale’s location.”

“After reviewing the logistics of a tow and the inability to find a suitable landing site, NOAA Fisheries has decided to float the whale,” NOAA Fisheries added.

The Massachusetts Environmental Police and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy also assisted in the incident in Cape Cod Bay.

Since early 2016, NOAA Fisheries has reported an increased number of humpback whale deaths along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida. Off Massachusetts, 44 dead humpback whales have been reported since 2016.

Overall, about 40% of the dead Atlantic whales examined showed signs of human intervention – either a collision with a ship or entanglement in one.

“Maintain a safe distance from all marine mammals, especially large whales, which may become entangled in a lake and react unpredictably,” NOAA Fisheries wrote. “Immediately report any stranded or entangled marine mammals to NOAA’s Stranded Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Hotline at (866) 755-6622 to be directed to a trained responder.”