KITTY HAWK, N.C. (WAVY) – A humpback whale was found washed up near the Bennett Street Beach Access, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Kitty Hawk Police said wildlife authorities have been contacted for assistance. People in the area were urged to avoid the whale.
Officials with NOAA said the humpback is a female around 27 feet long, with visible signs of shark scavenging. They also said whale strandings are common in North Carolina this time of year as they migrate south.
Officials at the beach were taking notes. A perimeter surrounded the whale to protect it from the public.
Now instead of admiring the whales from a distance in the water, people have an up-close view.
Charlie Parker, a Kitty Hawk resident, spoke about seeing the humpback just a few weeks after whales could be seen swimming off the shore.
“It’s sad, just flat out sad,” Parker said. “Because, a couple of weeks ago, there was some whales going by close enough to shore that people could see them, and, you know, the beach was lined with people watching.”
A necropsy is expected to take place on Saturday in an effort to gather more information on the stranded whale.
Earlier this month, the Virginian-Pilot reported a whale was spotted near the Outer Banks entangled in fishing gear off the East Coast. NOAA confirmed to 10 On Your Side it is not the same whale that washed up on shore.
“This actually puts it in perspective, like how much we actually have to think about how humans impact the environment. Even if it didn’t die because of us, it still helps you think about it,” said Caroline York.
Most people who witnessed the whale today say it’s an image they’ll never forget.
“I wasn’t expecting it to have a bite mark out of it and I was expecting it to be a lot bigger,” said York.
Anyone who comes across a stranded whale is urged to contact NOAA Fisheries Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline by phone at 877-942-5343.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
