A 30-foot humpback whale was discovered washed ashore at Sandy Hook on April 1, 2026, marking the second such incident in New Jersey this year.

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) received an initial report at 7:50 a.m. of a deceased whale floating near the shoreline.

By 8:20 a.m., the whale had landed on the beach.

Upon arrival, MMSC personnel identified the whale as a young female humpback, measuring approximately 35 feet in length and weighing an estimated 17 tons.

Preliminary necropsy findings revealed significant bruising on the right side of the body and head, consistent with a suspected vessel strike.

Additionally, old scars on the whale's flukes indicated a previous entanglement that she had survived.

The whale's gastrointestinal tract was full, suggesting she had been actively feeding prior to her death.

Following the examination, the whale was buried on-site at the beach.

Biologists collected various biological samples for histopathologic analysis to determine if the vessel interaction occurred before or after the animal had died.

This incident follows the stranding of a young male fin whale in Barnegat Light on February 20, raising concerns about the frequency of such events along the New Jersey coastline.

Humpback whales are known to migrate along the Jersey Shore, traveling between tropical breeding grounds in the Caribbean and feeding areas in the colder waters off New England and Canada.

These majestic marine mammals face numerous threats, including vessel strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, and changes in prey distribution due to climate change.

As the community grapples with this latest stranding, experts emphasize the importance of continued research and conservation efforts to protect these vulnerable creatures.