A right whale's trip from Ireland to Cape Cod Bay has surprised scientists and restored hope that some of the historic whale habitats may still be useful to the critically endangered species.

The dead minke whale was found washed ashore on Black Point Beach in Chilmark on Sunday.

There were no obvious external wounds on the whale, which was found washed up on the island over the weekend.

A new report from the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium this week estimated that the right whale population rose to about 372 whales at the beginning of 2023, up from a previous estimate of 356 whales. 

After wrapping up its necropsy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Wednesday that the female calf found in Edgartown earlier this year died due to chronic entanglement.

Herman Melville didn’t mince words when it came to the sperm whale. With emphasis, he explained “I tell you, the sperm whale will stand no nonsense.” And it didn’t ­— since we know it as the creature that sank the whaleship Essex in the real-life tragedy that was the inspiration for Moby Dick.