Long Beach Township, New Jersey – A recent post-mortem examination of a whale discovered washed ashore on Long Beach Island in New Jersey revealed multiple blunt force injuries, including a fractured skull and vertebrae. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center conducted the examination on a juvenile male humpback whale, measuring nearly 25 feet in length, that was found deceased in Long Beach Township.
Sheila Dean, the director of the center, reported that the whale displayed bruising around the head, as well as multiple fractures of the skull and cervical vertebrae, dislocated ribs, and a dislocated shoulder bone. These injuries are indicative of blunt force trauma, as stated in a social media post by Dean on the organization’s Facebook page. Further testing and analysis are required to determine the exact cause of these injuries, with tissue samples being sent to various laboratories nationwide.
The circumstances surrounding the whale’s death have sparked considerable interest due to an ongoing debate regarding offshore wind power and its potential impact on marine life, particularly whales along the U.S. East Coast. While opponents of offshore wind farms believe that the preparation work for these projects may harm or kill whales, scientific agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Marine Mammal Commission, and the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management have found no evidence linking offshore wind activities to whale fatalities.
The stranding center’s website confirmed that this incident marked New Jersey’s first whale death of the year, following 14 reported in 2023. Amidst these developments, Leading Light Wind, a company proposing a wind farm off the New Jersey coast, emphasized the importance of accurate information and urged caution against misinformation campaigns. The company attributed previous whale deaths to other causes, such as vessel strikes or entanglement with fishing gear.
Protect Our Coast NJ, a group opposed to offshore wind projects, expressed skepticism towards official reports on whale deaths, drawing parallels to past instances of distrust in official information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the differing viewpoints, Leading Light Wind reiterated its commitment to minimizing risks to wildlife while advancing its offshore wind project with careful monitoring and mitigation strategies in place.
In addition to the recent blunt force injuries, the post-mortem examination of the whale detected signs of prior entanglement with fishing gear, indicating past encounters with human activities in the marine environment. Scars from a previous entanglement were found on various parts of the whale’s body, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by marine wildlife in their interactions with human-related hazards.
As the investigation into the whale’s cause of death continues, stakeholders in the offshore wind industry and marine conservation efforts remain vigilant in addressing potential risks to wildlife and ecosystems. The findings from this examination serve as a reminder of the complex relationship between human activities and marine life, underscoring the importance of sustainable practices and conservation measures to protect vulnerable species.