Dead humpback whale washes up in Long Beach

A dead male humpback whale washed ashore in Long Beach on Oct. 1, the second whale to be found on local beaches in two months.

The carcass made its way to Franklin Boulevard beach after it had initially washed up at Lido Beach West Town Park on Sept. 30.

The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society conducted a necropsy on the 30-foot male juvenile, and found that the whale had a full stomach, but also had lesions in the stomach and large intestines. Ultimately, the cause of death was not immediately determined, and the mammal was buried on the beach.

Samples were taken and sent to a pathologist for further review. However, Rachel Bosworth, a spokesperson for the conservation society said the results may take several months to come back.

The deceased humpback whale was initially found approximately 1.5 miles offshore near Jones Beach, on the morning of Sept. 30. Later that day, at around 2 p.m., it washed ashore at Lido Beach West Town Park.

Although the agency and several other organizations — including the U.S. Coast Guard, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries New England/Mid-Atlantic, Nassau County Police Department Marine Bureau and Town of Hempstead crews –– attempted to secure the animal in Lido, it had made its way into Long Beach by Tuesday.

After the necropsy was conducted, the organizations buried the whale with the assistance of the City of Long Beach.

On Monday, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen released a statement on Twitter.

“A sad afternoon as a deceased juvenile humpback whale washed up on Lido Beach West,” Gillen said. “Town depts are responding and residents are warned to keep a safe distance of at least 150 feet away. Though deceased, whales can suddenly explode after they die due to the buildup of methane gas.”

The previous whale was found in Long Beach at Laurelton Boulevard beach on Aug. 17 and due to an advanced state of decomposition, the cause of death could not be determined.

According to the agency, this was the eighth large whale incident in New York that it has responded to this year. The agency urged residents to report any sightings of dead or distressed marine animals to the New York State Stranding Hotline at (631) 369-9829.