A Beluga whale, usually found in cold, Arctic waters, has been spotted in the waters off Cape Cod, scientists from the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies said.
Two reported sightings occurred in the area of the Cape Cod Canal and off the coast of Provincetown.
Scientists said the whale is white indicating it is an adult. Younger Belugas are gray in color.
Adults grow to between 13 and 15 feet in length.
Whale experts said they will look for the animal during routine research trips to study it and determine its condition.
Dr. Cynthia Tynan said she was both "excited and concerned" about the whale, because it triggers important questions about what its presence means and whether it is related to climate change.
Tynan is an expert on Right whales which come to Cape Cod Bay every spring to feed.
But Tynan said Cape Cod is not a normal place to find a Beluga whale. She said the southernmost location for the species is the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada.