Second dead humpback whale seen in Atlantic washes ashore in Virginia Beach

Cianna Morales, The Virginian-Pilot
Updated ·2 min read
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A dead humpback whale was spotted floating off Virginia Beach before washing ashore Monday morning at False Cape State Park. It was the second whale to wash up in Virginia Beach in as many days.

The first washed ashore early Sunday morning near 25th Street in Virginia Beach.

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center’s Stranding Response Program team monitored the second whale and tracked it to the state park, said Kristina Scott, a spokesperson for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. The team is working with park staff and will assess the second whale in the next few days, Scott said. The Stranding Response Program coordinates responses for marine mammals, such as whales, and sea turtles that come ashore in Virginia.

The stranding response team brought the first whale, considered a sub-adult, up the shore to avoid high tide Sunday and began a necropsy Monday to gather as much data as possible and try to determine how the whale died, Scott said. As of Monday afternoon, NOAA said, the necropsy was still underway. Scientists performing the necropsy will likely use a technique called “peeling the banana,” in which they split the whale from mouth to tail, catalog and take samples. The samples help researchers determine the mammal’s diet, the health of its organs and potential cause of death.

Humpback whales pass through the Mid-Atlantic waters during their annual migration. The whales travel to the Caribbean in the winter, where they breed and give birth, then head back toward New England to feed during the spring and summer.

“Approaching marine mammals can be extremely unsafe for both humans and the animal,” Andrea Gomez, NOAA public affairs officer, said. “We ask the public to maintain a safe distance from the whales, and to please report all stranded marine mammals and sea turtles to NOAA’s marine mammal and sea turtle stranding hotline 866-755-6622 to be directed to a trained responder.”

Cianna Morales, 757-957-1304, cianna.morales@virginiamedia.com