Dead female humpback whale removed from Montauk beach
Around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the severely scavenged female humpback was removed from Ditch Plains Beach after crews temporarily constructed a sand land bridge to pull the carcass into a designated work area near the parking lot.
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An approximately 40-foot beached whale that washed up on a Montauk beach has been fully removed, according to Town of East Hampton officials.
Around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the severely scavenged female humpback was removed from Ditch Plains Beach after crews temporarily constructed a sand land bridge to pull the carcass into a designated work area near the parking lot.
A spokesperson for the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS) previously said they were notified Thursday morning of a deceased humpback whale floating about seven miles south of Ditch Plains Beach, believed to be the same whale that later washed ashore.
Town officials say the dirt parking lot remains closed while equipment is demobilized and temporary dune access is restored. The beach, however, remains open.
AMSEAS biologists conducted a necropsy on the carcass before cutting it into sections and placing the remains into three roll-off containers.
In total, nearly 40 tons of material were transported to the town’s sanitation facility, where it awaits removal by a licensed hauler, officials said.
Town lifeguards are expected to use a drone on Sunday to check for any visible oil sheen as a precaution before determining whether the beach can reopen for swimming.
"We do not anticipate any issues based on the success of yesterday’s operation," a town spokesperson said. "Overall, the operation was completed successfully thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Town, AMSEAS, and our partner agencies."
For over a decade, NOAA Fisheries has been investigating an unusual mortality event involving humpback whales along the Atlantic coast from Maine through Florida.
