Necropsy Performed On Dead Whale Washed Up In Hamptons

EAST HAMPTON, NY — A break in Tuesday's rainy weather allowed a necropsy planned for a dead whale that washed up on a beach in East Hampton Monday to go forward.

According to Rachel Bosworth, the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society arrived onsite Tuesday morning to assess the situation. The whale was originally in the surf and the team was waiting for heavy machinery to arrive Tuesday afternoon to secure the whale out of the tide and position it for a necropsy, she said.

A break in Tuesday's rain allowed for the necropsy to move ahead, despite the thought earlier on Tuesday that it might be held off a day.

The minke whale was confirmed to be 18.7' in length. The animal was fairly decomposed and missing many internal organs, including the reproductive organs, therefore the sex could not be determined, Bosworth said.

"Stranding investigations on all marine mammals and sea turtles are an important part of our conservation work as it provides valuable insight into the health of various species and what threats they face in our waters,” said AMCS necropsy program director Kimberly Durham. "Though a definitive cause of death could not be determined during the necropsy our team conducted for this animal today, samples were taken and sent to a pathologist. We will continue to share initial findings from stranding investigations with the public to raise awareness of these species, and will work with our partners to enhance our response efforts in the future."

Pathology results may take several months to come back. The whale was removed from the beach for disposal by the Town of East Hampton.

AMCS said it was grateful for the support from East Hampton Town's marine patrol and sanitation departments.

"AMCS is also proud to support Shinnecock Nation as they honor their heritage during these events," a release said.

On Monday evening, Shane Weeks of the Shinnecock Nation was able to perform a traditional ceremony for the whale, which is called "podtap" in Shinnecock; Weeks has been to nearly every whale beaching on Long Island for the last several years to perform a ceremony, AMCS said.

"These events hold great cultural value to my people,” Weeks said. "The whales were also one of the staple foods for the indigenous people in the New England area historically. Our whaling canoes could hold almost 100 people. This connection is still acknowledged to this day."

AMCS pointed out that the organization is the the lead large whale response organization in New York State; this week's whale marked the tenth large whale and second minke whale they have responded to on New York shores this year. There is an ongoing unusual mortality event for minke whales along the Atlantic coast; additional information can be found on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries website here.

AMCS asks that the public report live and deceased marine mammal and sea turtle strandings immediately by calling the NYS Stranding Hotline at 631-369-9829. The public can also report sightings to AMCS by emailing sightings@amseas.org.

The dead whale washed up on a Hamptons beach Monday afternoon, officials said.

The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society was notified of a deceased minke whale that washed up on Indian Wells Beach in East Hampton around 4:30 p.m., according to a release.

AMCS worked with the East Hampton Town marine patrol and the town highway department to formulate a response plan.

Photo courtesy East Hampton marine patrol.