BETHANY BEACH, Delaware — A young humpback whale washed ashore in Delaware after marine officials say he was likely struck by a large ship last week.
The Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation (MERR) Institute, which is a nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of marine mammals and sea turtles, said the young 32-foot whale washed up in the community of Ocean Ridge in Bethany Beach on Jan. 8 after he was seen floating at sea for a couple of days.
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The institute said the whale weighed at least 20,000 pounds. A necropsy was performed, and marine officials said the whale had subdermal hemorrhaging and a broken jaw, which often happens when a whale is struck by a ship.
A whale washed ashore after likely getting struck by a large ship off the coast of Bethany Beach.
(MERR Institute / FOX Weather)
The whale was buried on the beach, which the MERR Institute said is the most common practice for disposing of a whale’s body.
“These whales cannot be safely towed to sea, so burying them on the beach allows them to become an important part of the beach ecosystem,” the institute said on Facebook.
Hyannis Whale Watchers posted about the whale’s passing on Facebook, saying they recognized the whale and nicknamed him “Oil Change” due to a large, solid white spot on his fluke.
A young humpback whale washed ashore in Bethany Beach, Delaware on Jan. 8.
(MERR Institute / FOX Weather)
“This whale stole our hearts in late July, spending over an hour flipper slapping, rolling near the boat and breaching. We continued to see him into September in Cape Cod Bay,” Hyannis Whale Watchers said.
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The group said there are actions you can take to help. This includes limiting consumption, choosing sustainable food, staying in the loop about policy changes, ditching single-use plastics and supporting efforts to make fisheries more sustainable.
“While this incident was more than likely a terrible accident, it serves as a reminder of the perils these animals face every day,” Hyannis Whale Watchers said.
Oceana said this is the second whale death on the East Coast this year.
“Each loss underscores the urgent need to stronger protections,” Oceana said on X.
