REHOBOTH BEACH, DE - A deceased humpback whale was stranded on a Sussex County beach Wednesday night according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).
Officials with the MERR Institute told WBOC the whale was reportedly first spotted off the shores of Henlopen Acres early Wednesday morning. The whale then traveled south before washing ashore near Conquest Road, north of the Indian River Inlet, around roughly 5 pm Wednesday night.
"We weren't able to secure her last night. The seas were very rough there was an astronomically high tide," Suzanne Thurman, director of the MERR Institute, said.
Thurman said that, after researches performed a necropsy on the whale Thursday, it was determined to be a young female humpback. The whale measured in around 30 feet, 10 inches in length, and was estimated to be less than a year old.
"From the stomach contents it appears she was still nursing. Did she get separated from her mother? You know, that's a possibility," Thurman said.
According to NOAA Fisheries, humpbacks can grow up to 60 feet long and weigh up to 40 tons.
Thurman said no exact cause of death has been determined yet, but that samples taken Thursday would be sent off to laboratories for further research.
"That allows us to detect the presence of illness, disease, or parasites that aren't visible to the eye," Thurman said.
According to DNREC, marine mammal strandings can occur for numerous reasons such as illness, injuries, and environmental factors.
Images of the whale on Wednesday night showed what appeared to be a giant bubble protruding from the animal. Authorities had told those on the beach at the time to stay back as the "bubble" could/would pop.
After research concluded along the shores Thursday afternoon, the whale was buried underneath the sand.
"So at least it can become part of the ecoystem," Thurman said.
Multiple people came by to see the work being done on the beached whale Thursday afternoon while WBOC was there.
"We came because my friend had never seen one in person and it's just sad," Pat Rantz, a neighbor visiting from Bethany Beach, said. "I'm glad we have volunteers and people who care about the oceans and the beaches and that they're down to take care of things."
Thurman said future sightings can be reported to the MERR Institute's stranded hotline found on their website.
