BARNEGAT LIGHT — A 50-foot fin whale was discovered dead in the surf Friday afternoon in Barnegat Light, prompting a response from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.
The organization said it was notified of the whale around 1:30 p.m. on February 20 and later identified the animal as an adult male fin whale. Fin whales are the second-largest whale species in the world and can grow between 40 and 70 feet long.
The center’s stranding coordinator remained at the scene through sunset, working with local agencies to arrange for the whale’s recovery and disposal.
Officials are assembling a necropsy team and coordinating plans to examine the whale by Saturday evening, ahead of a coastal storm forecast for Sunday.
The cause of death remains under investigation. Updates will be shared through the Marine Mammal Stranding Center’s media center and official social media pages as more details become available.
