As has been widely reported, on Monday August 20th a decease 55ft finback whale washed onto Duxbury beach after strong northeast winds the day before.  According to the New England aquarium the whale had been known to be dead at least three days prior and had been spotted in the middle of cape cod bay upwards of 10 miles from where it washed ashore.  This left Duxbury officials with a problem of how to remove 29 tons (~58k lbs) of dead animal.

Decaying whales will build up gases internally causing pressure that can cause the animals to explode.  The beach is heavily populated putting pressure on the officials to keep closure to a minimum.  With the recent increase of great white sharks frequenting cape cod towing the whale offshore is not a viable option as it would attract sharks across the region.  Duxbury decided wisely to move the animal and bury it onsite in a grave dug about a mile away from where the whale washed ashore and off the main beach.

The New England Aquarium pefromed a necropsy on the animal on monday and still have not determined the cause of death.  There is no apparent signs of injury and it is believe to possibly be natural.  By monday evening the animal was cut into smaller peices and moved up the beach for burial.  Already well decayed and the scent traveld a few miles away to the neighboring towns.

Duxubry did a great job controlling the area to let the scientists study the animal and had the whale removed and buried within 24 hours.  By 12pm Tuesday the day after the whale washed ashore the town reopened the beach.