Biologists from Mystic Aquarium spent much of Thursday dissecting the young female humpback whale that washed up at Church Cove and was first spotted Saturday.

Using a bulldozer to help them move the 25-foot, 10-ton cetacean, the scientists skinned the carcass, inspected its organs and took samples for further study back at Mystic. There was no word Thursday on a possible cause of death, though  biologist determined that the whale, previously thought to be male, was in fact female.

The whale is located at a remote stretch of coast, about equidistant between the Sakonnet Golf Club and Taylor's Beach. Biologists from Mystic and the state Department of Environmental Management accessed the site via a dairy farmer's property.

DEM Spokesperson Mike Healey said that due to the remoteness of the site there are no plans to move the whale. However, workers buried it when they finished their work.

"It's not the ideal scenario, but given the huge logistical effort that would be involved in trying to move the carcass, we're inclined to leave it where it is and let nature take its course," Healey said.

"By late spring, it'll likely be just bones."