Well-known humpback whale 'Pivot' found stranded on Assateague

An often-sighted humpback whale known as "Pivot" was found dead Thursday night, stranded on the beach at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland.

Pivot's cause of death is not known at this time, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The carcass will be removed from the beach soon, the National Park Service wrote on Facebook.

Pivot was first recorded by the Massachusetts-based Center for Coastal Studies in 2008, and has since been sighted frequently in the Gulf of Maine, according to the nonprofit.

Crews are still attempting to recover the body from the surf. Once the whale is recovered, a necropsy can be performed, according to a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Marine mammals can transmit diseases to humans and pets, so it is best to stay away from the carcass while it is on the beach, the National Park Service wrote.

Biologists have collected tissue samples from the whale, according to the NPS Facebook post. Even though the whale is dead, is still protected under the Endangered Species Act, making it illegal for anyone else to collect parts from the animal, NPS wrote.

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Environmental watchdog reporter Julia Rentsch can be reached at jrentsch@delmarvanow.com.