Dead Humpback Whale Found Floating Off Montauk Coast

MONTAUK, NY — A deceased humpback whale was found floating six miles off the coast of Montauk Wednesday.

According to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, since the report about the whale — which was still floating and nearing shore — came in, the United States Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound and the East Hampton Police Department worked to secure the whale.

On Friday night, AMCS said it worked with USCG Sector Long Island Sound and the East Hampton Police Department to secure the humpback whale and bring it to a beach at the end of Eton Road in Montauk for a necropsy examination.

The whale was female and just over 30' in length; the animal was fairly decomposed, AMCS said.

"It is difficult to determine when the animal died or its age due to decomposition and predation," a release said.

The examination was completed around 5 p.m., and the remains were removed and disposed of by East Hampton Town.

No immediate cause of death was evident to scientists, so samples were taken and will be sent to a pathologist to help learn more about its death, but results may take several months to come back, AMCS said.

AMCS said it also had support from NOAA Fisheries, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, East Hampton marine 'atrol, and USCG Station Montauk.
According to AMCS, "there is an ongoing unusual mortality event in effect for humpback whales along the Atlantic coast. As New York’s lead large whale response organization, the whale marked the third the organization has responded to this year and the second that was deceased.

East Hampton Town officials said efforts to secure and remove the whale were a joint effort with the AMCS, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, and U.S. Coast Guard Station Montauk.

An area of the Atlantic Ocean beachfront south of the Old Montauk Highway in Montauk, from South Eton Road at Umbrella Beach to the west was closed to beachgoers Friday, and swimming in the area was not advised, East Hampton officials said.

East Hampton Town lifeguards blocked access to the area from Kirk Park, the lifeguarded bathing beach in downtown Montauk, a release from the town added.

Contractors used heavy equipment to remove the whale from the beach for disposal; the beach will be open Saturday, town officials said.

The AMCS reminded the public to call in any sightings of dead or distressed marine animals to the New York State Stranding Hotline at (631) 369-9829.