Officials have determined that two humpback whales found dead off the coasts of New York and New Jersey suffered blunt force trauma, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The first whale, a 47-foot male, was discovered floating off eastern Long Island. The second whale, a 28-foot female, was found in Raritan Bay between New York and New Jersey. Although both whales were initially spotted on Wednesday, their varying levels of decomposition indicate that their deaths are unrelated, as stated in a Facebook post by NOAA on Friday.
NOAA has also identified the suspected causes of death for each whale. The male whale likely died from blunt force trauma, while the female whale is believed to have been killed by blunt and sharp force trauma consistent with a vessel strike.
By the time responders brought the male whale to shore, it was already severely decomposed. Conversely, the female whale was in a lesser state of decomposition, and officials observed bruises, lacerations, multiple fractures, and a severed fin.
Since January 2016, there has been an increase in humpback whale deaths, as reported by CNN. Human interaction, such as entanglement in fishing gear or collisions with ships, accounted for 40% of the fatalities. The cause of death could not be confirmed for the remaining decomposed whale carcasses, according to NOAA.
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