Updated Nov. 1
The dead humpback whale that was spotted floating in waters near the Vineyard washed ashore in Westport on Thursday.
Ainsley Smith, marine mammal stranding coordinator at the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told the Times on Friday that the whale carcass made landfall on a private beach in the South Coast town. The cause of death is still unknown, although members of the International Fund for Animal Welfare conducted an examination and are analyzing their data.
Officials initially thought the whale would wash ashore on the Elizabeth Islands or Martha’s Vineyard.
The dead humpback whale was spotted floating in waters near the Vineyard on Tuesday.
Smith said her department received word about the dead marine animal “just after dark” on Monday. A survey plane from New England Aquarium verified the whale was in the area on Tuesday morning.
Andrew Jacobs, the laboratory manager for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), said he saw the whale on Tuesday in Quick’s Hole, a body of water between Nashawena and Pasque islands.
Jacobs also said his department was tracking a wounded humpback whale spotted earlier this week off Squibnocket in Chilmark; he was uncertain whether this was the same animal as the carcass seen in Quick’s Hole.
If you see a stranded, distressed, or dead marine mammal, contact a local stranding network partner, or call NOAA’s stranding hotline, 866-755-6622.
Updated with additional information from Ainsley Smith.
Well, this should get the windmill folks riled up…
178 humpback whales die in the Atlantic annually
Tim- you should double check your numbers here. 178 have died since 2016 ,the average being 25 per year ,with the exception of the last 2 years where they’ve doubled that to close to 50 per year.
Jason– check your numbers again, buddy.
2023 had 37– 2024 has thus far had 18,
including this one. That’s not 50 a year–
Tim was talking about Humpbacks–
Let’s keep the oranges and the apples in
their boxes, please.
And please put up you sources.
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/2016-2024-humpback-whale-unusual-mortality-event-along-atlantic-coast
and let me remind you that I can also
cherry-pick data. — For instance 2024 is on track
to be lower only than any year in the time frame
other than than 2021. Or the fact that the 5 year
average from 2016 to 2020, before mills were in
full development was 29.2 deaths per year.
Let’s keep on the humpbacks please–
The last 4 years, since OSW has really ramped up
have seen an average death rate of
only 20.75 per year.
And then we can play “what’s the cause” ?…
I think you are about the only person here who
can accurately fact check my assertions, and I seem
to be one of the few who is willing to bother to fact
check yours === Let the games begin.
Respect !
I think authorities need to immediately place surveillance on RFK Jr, the esteemed 45th President’s new proposed health czar
At any moment he could appear with his trusty McCullough, a full tank of fuel and that whale carcass is finished faster than a bucket of KFC placed in front of 45
Don- I stand corrected. The overall number of humpback mortalities shown from the link you provided is 228 (not 178) since 2016 and my average was off for the last 2 years, as I was looking at overall whale mortalities on the east coast.
Tim’s number of 178 annually is incorrect, as that number is closer to 20-25 annually.
I’ll leave the cause of these mortalities up to the ones that perform the necropsies.
There are a multitude of possible causes , including OSW development in my opinion but that’s just my opinion.
Yes , respect back!
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