BOSTON (CBS) – A dead whale was spotted near Deer Island in Boston Harbor on Sunday.

The US Coast Guard and the New England Aquarium responded to the scene.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Carl Stevens reports

Aquarium officials believe the whale is a Finback that may have come from a marine sanctuary east of Boston.

For now, the whale is floating in the harbor, and officials say they will not bring it on land unless it floats closer to shore. If it does, they will conduct a necropsy to determine a cause-of-death.

Officials said it is very rare for a dead whale to float into the harbor.

Scientists said the Finback is the world’s second longest whale. The one found near Deer Island was estimated to be 55 feet long, 75,000 pounds and between 10 and 12 years old.