SANDY HOOK, NJ – On Friday, the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society and Marine Mammal Stranding Center, conducted necropsies on two deceased humpback whales that were initially spotted near Wainscott, NY, and Raritan Bay, NJ, on Wednesday.
On Thursday, one of the whales drifted into Shinnecock Inlet and was eventually brought ashore in Hampton Bays, Southampton. The examination of this carcass revealed that it was a 47-foot-long male humpback whale. Although the state of decomposition was extensive, scientists observed bruising in the blubber and muscle on both sides of the head. The suspected cause of death is blunt force trauma, and additional samples were collected for further analysis. The whale was respectfully buried on the beach following the necropsy.
In a separate incident on Thursday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NJ Fish & Wildlife Service collaborated to tow the other stranded whale from Raritan Bay to Gateway National Recreation Area in Sandy Hook, NJ. Preliminary findings indicate that this whale was a 28-foot-long female humpback. The necropsy revealed bruises, lacerations, and fractures across its body, including skull fractures and a severed left pectoral fin.
The initial cause of death is believed to be blunt and sharp force trauma consistent with a vessel strike. Samples were collected during the necropsy for further analysis, and the whale was respectfully buried on the beach.
Although both whales were observed on the same day, the varying degrees of decomposition indicate that these strandings are not connected.