Suspected female fin whale is now near Barnegat Light after being spotted off Long Beach Island
BARNEGAT LIGHT, NJ – A massive dead whale that spent Sunday drifting off Long Beach Island has moved into the surf near Barnegat Light, where its heavily decomposed carcass is beginning to break apart while marine mammal experts coordinate plans for its recovery, examination and disposal.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said the whale, suspected to be a female fin whale, was first reported by a boater at approximately 10:20 a.m. Sunday about 1.5 miles off Long Beach Island.
Reports from people along the coast helped the center track the carcass throughout the day.
Dead whale drifts toward Long Beach Island
The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a drift analysis after the initial sighting and estimated that the whale would move north and east toward shore during the following 24 hours.
Shortly before sunset Sunday, observers reported the whale several hundred yards offshore from Surf City and drifting north outside the breakers.
By 8 a.m. Monday, it had reached the surf near 11th Street in Barnegat Light.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center’s stranding coordinator has been monitoring its movement at the scene.
Carcass beginning to break apart
The whale continued drifting north through the surf Monday and was reported just south of the jetty.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center described the carcass as heavily decomposed and scavenged.
Parts of the whale’s body have begun to disarticulate and break apart as the carcass moves through the surf.
The center is working with local, state and federal agencies on a plan to recover, examine and dispose of the whale.
The available information did not establish how or when the whale died.
Public warned not to touch whale remains
Marine mammals are federally protected, and officials warned beachgoers not to touch or collect any pieces of the whale that wash ashore.
Anyone who discovers parts of the whale or another marine mammal is asked to report the finding to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center’s 24-hour hotline at 609-266-0538.
The center said additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Key Points
- A large dead whale suspected to be a female fin whale has drifted into the surf near Barnegat Light after initially being spotted about 1.5 miles off Long Beach Island.
- The heavily decomposed and scavenged carcass is beginning to break apart in the surf as officials develop a recovery and disposal plan.
- The public is being warned not to touch or collect any whale remains that wash ashore and to report discoveries to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.
