A dead gray whale was found beached in Bremerton early Wednesday, and a biologist says it appears the whale was malnourished.

The whale was found on a beach along Erlands Point Road Northwest, six miles northwest of Bremerton, in unincorporated Kitsap County on the south end of Dyes Inlet. The point of land separates Chico Bay from the rest of the inlet.

The whale apparently came in with the tide, said Cole Aardal, who lives on the road. He said the gray whale appears to be about 27 feet long and seems young.

Marine biologist and consultant Fred Felleman, who has looked at a photo of the beached whale, agrees that it's a gray whale and appears to be about 6 months old. He said it has sea lice on its face and a dip in the back of its head, indicating it was malnourished. There is no blubber layer, so it likely was emaciated, he said. "Why it wasn't eating is not clear, but the animal had something wrong," Felleman said.

The whale likely will be towed off the beach, said Jessie Huggins, stranding coordinator with Cascadia Research. Cascadia is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

First, Huggins and others will examine the whale, take measurements and photos, she said.

Towing the whale away will probably not happen for several days. Because the whale was malnourished, it isn't buoyant enough to float yet, Huggins said. But within four or five days the body will float.

The whale was stranded on a private beach, and technically the property owner is responsible for removing the body, but Cascadia helps with removal when a whale is found.

"We understand most homeowners don't have the capacity to get rid of a whale," Huggins said.