Latest news with #whalestranding
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Humpback whale washes ashore in Long Beach Township
LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP — A dead humpback whale washed ashore at the 130th Street beach in the Beach Haven Terrace section on Friday morning, according to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine. The stranding center's stranding coordinator responded to the scene about 7 a.m. and the 'heavily decomposed' remains were moved to the municipal Department of Public Works yard to be examined by staff from the center, according to a statement from the center. More NJ Shore news: Asbury Park lifeguard impaled by umbrella is expected to make full recovery The examination determined that the animal was a female, measuring 29½-feet in length. The carcass was in the advanced stages of decomposition and therefore no longer viable for further biological sampling. Based on photographs, this whale was identified as the same whale that was first observed deceased and floating approximately 3½ miles off of Harvey Cedars on Monday. As disposal of a whale carcass is the responsibility of the property owner, which is Long Beach Township, and officials opted to bury the remains at the public works yard on Long Beach Boulevard in Beach Haven Terrace. In addition to the Public Works Department, the Long Beach Township Police Department, its municipal Beach Patrol, the New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement, all provided assistance at the scene. Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@ This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Humpback whale washes ashore on Long Beach Island NJ
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Nearly 2 dozen whales found dead around San Francisco Bay Area, alarming marine experts
SAN FRANCISCO – An alarming number of gray whale deaths continue to be reported around the San Francisco Bay Area, with experts now confirming at least 22 carcasses have been spotted, making it the deadliest year for strandings since the height of the Unusual Mortality Event. According to staff at the California Academy of Sciences and The Marine Mammal Center, 19 gray whales, two baleen whales and one minke whale have been discovered dead so far across the Bay Area since the start of 2025. The figure is the highest since 2021, when what was designated to be an UME was underway. According to NOAA Fisheries, from 2019 to 2023, the population experienced a decline of roughly 45%, which was investigated by biologists. A research team determined that ecosystem changes in the whales' feeding areas ultimately led to changes in food availability, malnutrition and a decrease in birthing rates. Alarming Number Of Whale Deaths Reported Around San Francisco Bay Area Simultaneously, staff with the Center's Cetacean Conservation Biology Team reported an unprecedented number of live gray whale sightings inside the Bay, with more than 30 individual whales confirmed since January. The figure is a sharp increase from last year, when only six were sighted during the same time period. "Roughly one-third of these whales have stayed in the bay for at least 20 days, and their overall body condition has ranged from normal to emaciated. The reason or potential reasons behind the massive spike in sightings this year are still being investigated," researchers stated. The reason behind the surge in sightings is still unclear, but marine scientists expect many of these whales to depart the bay within the next one to two weeks as they resume their northern migration toward Arctic feeding grounds. Researchers in Mexico, Canada and the U.S. are said to be actively monitoring the population and have also reported low calf counts. The long-term health outlook for eastern North Pacific gray whales remains uncertain following what NOAA estimated was a 45% decline in population from 2019 to 2023. The drop was attributed to changes in feeding zones, leading to impacts such as malnutrition and a reduction in calving rates. Spectators Gather As Killer Whale Washes Ashore Florida Coast The amount of marine life recently spotted in San Francisco Bay has experts urging boaters to remain aware. "Gray whales often have a very low profile in the water that can make them difficult to sight, unlike other coastal whales like humpback whales," Marine Mammal Center staff stated. Biologists are said to be working closely with the San Francisco Harbor Safety Committee and the U.S. Coast Guard to explore the possibility of enforcing vessel slow-downs, ferry route adjustments and marine alerts during the period of increased whale article source: Nearly 2 dozen whales found dead around San Francisco Bay Area, alarming marine experts
