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The whale was found in December and examined by Dr. Christian Senft-Batoh, with the town of Stratford, as well as officials with Mystic Aquarium and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, who confirmed that it was indeed a rare pygmy sperm whale, Senft-Batoh, wrote in a letter to residents.
Officials left the whale to wash back into the water and out to sea, she wrote.
Residents monitored the whale and during a major storm, the whale moved further west to the vicinity of Lordship Road. This was the last known location of the whale, she wrote.
"It seems that at some point on December 30, 2018, the whale was removed from the beach, possibly with the use of a cart or ATV," she said.
After the whale was removed, Senft-Batoh learned that the Yale Peabody Museum was in the process of obtaining permits to collect the body of the whale.
"Being that the Pygmy Sperm Whale is a rare species, and few, if any accounts exist of its presence in Long Island Sound, evaluation of the remains and skeleton may provide novel scientific information about the life-history of this elusive species," she said.
Now, the call has been out for anyone who may have the whale carcass or known whose does have it are being asked to contact the town of Stratford at 203-385-4006. Calls can be anonymous and there will be no penalty imposed by the city.
"I would just like to give the Peabody Museum the opportunity to study the remain," Senft-Batoh said.
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