Dead Minke Whale Washes Ashore Near VA Beach, Third In 3 Days: Report

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — A dead minke whale washed ashore on the northern beaches of the Outer Banks on Tuesday, the third to be discovered near the Virginia Beach coast in the past three days, according to a report citing wildlife officials.

The whale was found on a beach outside Corolla, North Carolina, about two miles north of the end of the paved four-wheel-drive road, the Virginian-Pilot reported.

The female whale was about 26 feet long and had no external signs of trauma, Karen Clark with the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education told the Virginian-Pilot.

A necropsy is scheduled for a later date, Clark told the publication.

The discovery comes just three days after the dead bodies of two humpback whales were spotted Sunday at separate locations along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, news outlets reported Monday.

• Related: 2 Humpback Whales Found Dead On Same Day Along VA Beach: Reports

While the first whale washed ashore, 13NewsNow reported the second whale was found about three miles offshore.

The first whale, which was 32 feet long and between the age of 4-10, was found between 24th and 25th streets, 13NewsNow reported.

Official causes of death for the humpback whales were not revealed.

In 2023, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries reported four humpback whales died in Virginia with two mortalities offshore Virginia.