12th beached whale found in NY, NJ area: NOAA

FAR ROCKAWAY, Queens (PIX11) -- A dead 25-foot minke whale washed up on Rockaway Beach on Friday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society was notified of the female whale around 9 a.m. After biologists examined the whale, they discovered she had several broken bones and cuts across her body. Samples were taken of the wounds, and the NOAA said the injuries appeared to have happened before the whale's death.

The NOAA said there was evidence of blunt force trauma. However, the preliminary investigation determined the whale died from being hit by a vessel.

This is the fifth large beached whale in New York since Dec. 1, and the 12th whale if you include all of the whales that washed up in the New York, New Jersey area, according to the NOAA. In addition, there has been a continued investigation into the increase in minke whale deaths along the Atlantic coast since 2017.

Please report all stranded marine mammals and sea turtles to NOAA’s marine mammal and sea turtle stranding hotline at 866-755-6622 to be directed to a trained responder.