Stranded Whale Dies On Island Beach State Park

ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK — A juvenile minke whale got stranded on Island Beach State Park and died Thursday. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center is trying to figure out the cause of death.

The center received a call about a beached whale at 3 p.m. Thursday, said executive director Robert Schoelkopf. His staff raced to the whale, who died by the time of their arrival.

"It did not appear to be hit by a ship or propellors, so an internal exam is being conducted as we speak," Schoelkopf told Patch.

Schoelkopf said the necropsy — an autopsy performed on an animal — could take a couple hours or a couple days to bring a definitive answer.

The whale was about 18 feet long. They can reach about 35 feet in length and weigh up to 20,000 pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They live up to 50 years.

Minke whales live in the waters of the New England/Mid-Atlantic area, southeast, West Coast, Alaska and Pacific Islands, according to the NOAA.

Here's a video of some minke whales:

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