No Cause Of Death Determined For Whale Found On Hamptons Beach

EAST HAMPTON, NY — No cause of death could immediately be determined for a deceased humpback whale that washed up in Napeague Thursday, according to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.

AMCS biologists arrived onsite Friday morning around 9:30 a.m. to conduct the necropsy on the stranded humpback whale; the animal was secured on the beach by East Hampton Police's marine patrol and the East Hampton Town Highway Department, and biologists took initial measurements.

Severely decomposed, the female whale was 30.5' in length, AMCS said.

Because there was limited space on the beach and steep erosion, the best option for the examination and disposal was to transport the whale to the East Hampton Town sanitation department, AMCS said. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, a cause of death could not be immediately determined; samples will be sent to a pathologist and those results may take several months to come back. The team finished around 1:30 p.m., AMCS said.

AMCS had support Friday from East Hampton Town Highway Supervisor Steve Lynch, East Hampton Town Police's marine patrol, East Hampton Town's Department of Natural Resources, and Bistrian Materials and Excavation.

"AMCS cannot thank these other groups enough for their help today," a release said.

The report of the whale was first made by U.S. Coast Guard Station Montauk, AMCS said.

Because the animal was in the surf when found, AMCS said it was dangerous for the public to get closer. "We strongly urge people to keep a minimum distance of the recommended 150 feet at all times," AMCS said in a release.

This is the sixth humpback whale AMCS has responded to this year, including ones found on Fire Island and in Long Beach in May.

There is an ongoing unusual mortality event in effect along the Atlantic Coast that has impacted more than 75 humpback whales since 2016, AMCS said.

Photo courtesy AMCS.