30-foot humpback whale washes up dead on Fire Island
A 30-foot humpback whale was found dead off the coast of Fire Island on Friday morning — at least the 18th doomed humpback whale spotted off the east coast this year.
The tragic majestic mammal was found belly up on the east side of Smith Point County Park in Shirley, Long Island, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced.
The animal’s body was collected for an autopsy, NOAA said patch in an opinion.
The cause of death is unknown.
“Information gathered through this survey includes measurements and photos, as well as biological samples collected to learn more about the whale’s physiology and to document any factors that may have contributed to the animal’s death,” said a representative for the outlet.
The whale washed up on its back, showing its striped abdomen on the beach.
The large animal was found on the shore as the waves tossed its body. news 12 Show helicopter footage.
At least 18 humpback whales have been found dead on East Coast beaches this year.
Another dead humpback whale was found off the coast of Long Island in mid-May.
The 18- to 20-foot whale was found by passersby around sunrise on the shore of Robert Moses State Park, swimming in the water about a mile off Ocean Beach on Fire Island.
NOAA classified the incidents as an “unusual mortality event.”
Nearly 40 “large” whales have also washed up on the East Coast, according to NOAA.
