In Barnegat Township, New Jersey, a tragic incident unfolded over the weekend when a minke whale died following a collision with a small motorboat. The event, which took place in Barnegat Bay on Saturday afternoon, was captured in disturbing video footage shared on social media. The video shows the 20-foot (6-meter) whale splashing near the boat after the impact, which nearly caused the vessel to tip over.
The collision was serious enough to throw one person overboard. Fortunately, the individual was able to tread water next to the boat after the incident. The whale initially swam away but was later found dead, having come to rest on a sandbar in shallow waters. Marine authorities encountered difficulties in reaching the animal due to the tidal conditions in the area.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine mammals, is involved in the situation. Jay Pagel, the stranding coordinator at the center, provided an update on the whale on Sunday. He indicated that there wasn't much information available at that moment. His observations did not find any obvious injury marks on the visible side of the whale, though he noted that visibility was limited during their assessment.
Furthermore, Pagel mentioned that there were reports suggesting the whale might have sustained injuries before the incident caught on video. Interestingly, a second video surfaced online, which appears to show the whale making contact with a pontoon boat in addition to the initial collision with the motorboat. This raises further questions about the health and circumstances surrounding the whale's demise.
To determine the cause of death, the deceased whale is scheduled to be towed to a state park on Monday morning for a necropsy. This examination aims to provide insights into what may have led to its untimely death following such a collision. The tragic loss of this marine mammal highlights ongoing concerns regarding marine wildlife safety and the impacts of human activity on oceanic ecosystems.
