UPDATE: MERR Releases Details about Beached Whale in Bethany
UPDATE: The Marine Education Research and Rehabilitation (MERR) Institute has released new information about the deceased humpback whale that washed ashore Bethany Beach on Thursday.
Officials say the whale was young in age, weighing a minimum of 20,000 pounds and measuring 32 feet in length. The tossing and churning in the surf caused gases to form and inflate its tongue, which appears like a giant balloon in the initial photos. The whale remained in the surf zone throughout Thursday night until heavy equipment could arrive on scene the following day.
The MERR Institute’s necropsy team conducted a post-mortem examination the following day. They determined that the whale had subdermal hemorrhaging and a broken jaw on the right side, a blunt force injury often associated with a large ship strike. Officials say the nature of the wounds indicates that the whale was still alive when it was struck.
The whale was ultimately buried on the beach, which is the most common practice for the disposition of the body., as these large whales cannot be safely towed out to sea.
“This was a tragic event, and we would like to thank everyone who helped to support us in our examination of this whale,” said MERR executive director Suzanne Thurman. “MERR’s volunteers were as wonderful as ever, and worked tirelessly to assist in examining the whale in a very short window of time. We would also like to thank DNREC for providing heavy equipment resources for towing and burial of the whale. They were able to tow the whale up onto the beach so we could safely examine it, and their staff was indispensable in helping us to position the whale so that we could get as much information as possible.”
Thurman also extended her thanks to the homeowners in the area, saying that they were kind enough to send coffee and doughnuts to volunteers.
BETHANY BEACH, Del. – The Marine Education Research and Rehabilitation (MERR) Institute is looking into the circumstances surrounding a beached whale in Bethany Beach.
MERR responded to a juvenile male humpback whale on Thursday, that was first seen two days prior, floating at sea about two miles off the Indian River Inlet. The 30-foot whale eventually beached near a private community near Bethany Beach in the early afternoon.
At this time, MERR does not have enough information to determine a cause of death. The group is attempting to coordinate with DNREC to get equipment to move the whale out of the water and onto the beach so more studies can be conducted.
This article was originally published on Jan. 8 at 9:19 p.m.
