LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP, NJ – The Marine Mammal Stranding Center reported the discovery of a deceased juvenile male humpback whale on the morning of Thursday, April 11th, at 6:45 AM along the 51st Street beach area in Long Beach Township.
The whale, measuring 24 feet 10 inches, displayed injuries indicative of blunt force trauma, including multiple skull and cervical vertebrae fractures, dislocated ribs, and a scapula.
Assisted by the Long Beach Township Department of Public Works and Police Department, the whale was secured and removed from the surf by 1:00 PM.
A necropsy performed at the Long Beach Township DPW site revealed severe internal damage, with most organs liquified, except the heart. The whale also showed scars from a previous entanglement. Samples from the necropsy have been sent to various labs for further analysis. The results will be available on the MMSC website.
The center expressed gratitude to the Sea Turtle Recovery and other supporting agencies for their assistance during the recovery and examination process.