A 30-foot-long dead humpback whale washed up on Friday at Smith Point Beach in Shirley.
This is not the first time this has occurred this year. In January, a humpback whale died after washing ashore at Lido Beach.
In May, a dead humpback whale washed ashore at Robert Moses Beach.
According to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS), the Smith Point whale is currently being investigated by AMSEAS, NOAA Fisheries, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Suffolk County Parks, and they will secure the whale for a necropsy.
“Since 2016, NOAA Fisheries has been investigating an unusual mortality event (UME) for humpback whales in the North Atlantic,” NOAA Fisheries said in a statement. “Data from this investigation can be found on our website and viewed in this interactive map. Frequently asked questions about necropsies and how they are conducted for marine mammals are also available here on our website.”
All dolphins, porpoises, and whales are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes touching, feeding, or otherwise harming these animals illegal.
To report strandings of marine mammals and sea turtles in New York, call the New York State Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Hotline at: 631-369-9829. The public can also report sightings of healthy marine mammals and sea turtles in and around New York to sightings@amseas.org. To report strandings of marine mammals and sea turtles in all other states in the northeast, call NOAA’s stranding hotline to be directed to a trained responder in your area: 866-755-6622.
