Decomposed humpback whale washes ashore on long beach island — photo- Marine Mammal Stranding Center

LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A decomposed humpback whale washed up early Friday on the 130th Street beach in the Beach Haven Terrace section of Long Beach Island, officials confirmed.

The whale, estimated to be between 25 and 30 feet in length, was discovered by beachgoers in the early morning hours, according to Long Beach Township Mayor Joseph Mancini.

On Friday June 27th at approximately 7:00am the Marine Mammal Stranding Center responded to a report of a large, deceased whale in the process of washing ashore at 130th Street at Beach Haven Terrace in Long Beach Township, New Jersey. MMSC’s Stranding Coordinator was immediately dispatched to the scene. With the assistance of the Long Beach Township Department of Public Works, the heavily decomposed whale was secured and transported to the DPW yard to be examined by MMSC Staff.

The examination revealed that the animal was a female Humpback whale, measuring 29.5 feet in length. The carcass was in the advanced stages of decomposition, and therefore no longer viable for further biological sampling. Based on photographs, this whale was identified as the same whale that was first observed deceased and floating approximately 3.5 miles offshore from Harvey Cedars on June 23rd.

-Marine Mammal Stranding Center

The final disposal of a whale carcass is the responsibility of the property owner. Long Beach Township has elected to bury the remains.

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said the whale is believed to be a younger animal and showed significant signs of decomposition.

The center is coordinating efforts to move the whale safely onto the beach at low tide for examination. A cause of death has not been determined.

“We are waiting for a low tide so we can safely pull the mammal onto the beach for a closer examination,” the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said in a statement.

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