Necropsy performed on dead whale that washed ashore in Long Beach
The whale was spotted three miles off East Atlantic Beach around 2 p.m. Monday.
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A necropsy was performed Tuesday on a dead whale that washed up on shore in Long Beach.
Officials say the whale will be buried in the sand this afternoon once the necropsy is complete.
Meanwhile, Long Beach residents tell News 12 they are frustrated to see another whale wash up on the shore.
It is the second dead whale found on Long Beach this year, and the 15th in the tri-state area.
The whale was buried in the sand once the necropsy was complete.
Four days ago, a 35-foot humpback whale was found at Smith Point County Park.
Residents were quick to share their concerns with members of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society as they arrived to perform the necropsy.
Chief scientist Robert DiGiovanni explained that we are in the midst of an unusual mortality event for large whales, who he says are frequenting our waters more because there's more food for them.
“What we are seeing as some of the leading causes of mortality for them are vessel strike and entanglement for the humpback whale, as well as for the North Atlantic right whale and then for the Minke whale we are actually seeing more of a biological process, more of an infectious disease issue,” says DiGiovanni.
When asked about whether the use of sonar could be a contributing factor, DiGiovanni said, "We have a lot of activity going on in the ocean, but what they are using for exploration is at a different frequency so it's not at the same frequency these animals would be impacted."
The necropsy pulled tissue from the whale that will undergo further testing. It could be weeks before the results are in.
