Remains of humpback whale found on East Atlantic Beach in Hempstead
Marine biologists are investigating the death of a decomposed whale that washed up Tuesday on East Atlantic Beach in Hempstead.
Residents reported the remains of the whale Tuesday morning to the Hempstead Town Department of Conservation and Waterways, Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin said.
The town notified the state Department of Environmental Conservation, NOAA Fisheries and the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, known as AMSEAS, to examine the whale.
Biologists with AMSEAS found the 28-foot junior humpback whale was severely decomposed without any internal organs, Rob DiGiovanni, Executive Director and Chief Scientist of AMSEAS.
The whale likely died at sea and washed up on shore, DiGiovanni said. Scientists could not estimate how long ago the whale had died. Biologists took genetic samples of the whale’s tissue for testing and the remains of the whale were buried on the beach.
The death marks the 13th whale that has washed up on shore since January, DiGiovanni said. It is part of an unusual mortality event since 2016 that has chronicled the deaths of more than 194 humpback whales.
In 2017, a record 14 whales died, mostly off Long Island.
Necropsy results on about half of those whales showed about 40% of whales died after human interactions including vessel strikes or entanglement in fishing gear, according to AMSEAS. There were six whales that have died since December that were struck by boats. There have been no deaths associated with wind farms, officials said.
Biologists say whales are becoming more common off Long Island, feeding with dolphins and sharks on schools of bunker fish closer to shore.
Biologists said a separate mortality event is taking place for minke whales, such as one that washed up last month in Westhampton Beach. Biologists are investigating if those deaths are caused by health issues such as infectious disease or heart conditions.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
