A 40-ton whale was found dead after becoming stranded on the gravel beach of Samish Island in Washington, marking yet another incident in a troubling trend of whale deaths along the state’s coast.

The whale was discovered on Monday night, according to a social media post from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regional office. Local researchers were dispatched to the scene on Tuesday morning, but unfortunately, the whale had already perished by that time.

Images captured show the massive creature lying in shallow waters.

NOAA reported that the whale was a male fin whale, measuring over 61 feet in length and weighing approximately 40 tons. However, by the time the rescue team arrived, the whale’s health had significantly declined, and it was described as emaciated. Fin whales are recognized as the second-largest species on the planet, surpassed only by blue whales.

The large size of fin whales poses challenges for efforts to move or rescue stranded individuals, according to NOAA.

NOAA has announced that a necropsy will be performed on the whale. Following this examination, the remains will be left to decompose naturally in the environment.

This incident is part of a concerning increase in whale fatalities reported in Washington state. CBS affiliate KIRO highlighted that at least 16 whale deaths have occurred in the state over the past year. John Calambokidis, founder of the Cascadia Research Collective, told CBS affiliate KREM that many of these whales seem to have succumbed to starvation, potentially linked to climate change affecting food availability in Arctic and Alaskan waters.

Calambokidis noted that there have been at least 13 strandings recorded since March of this year.

NOAA urges anyone who encounters a stranded whale to contact the appropriate authorities. The agency advises against attempting to move or interact with the whale.