More facts from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in reference to Jan 12 stranded animal.
Marine Mammal Stranding Center
22h ·
More than 36 people, including about 25 stranding network members from MMSC, AMCS, Mystic Aquarium, and MERR Institute, were on hand this morning to conduct a necropsy on the humpback whale that washed up on the North End Natural Area in Brigantine on Thursday, January 12, 2023. The response was led by Sheila Dean and Michele Pagel of MMSC. The necropsy team, led by Kim Durham of AMCS, was able to obtain the necessary samples of tissues and organs for further laboratory testing.
The whale was a female 32 feet 7 inches long, estimated to weigh about 12 tons.
Preliminary results based on observations during the necropsy suggest that the whale suffered blunt trauma injuries consistent with those from a vessel strike. Injuries and hemorrhaging were observed on the head and thoracic region, as well as along the right side and the pectoral flipper. These findings will be confirmed through laboratory analysis in the coming weeks. Blubber thickness indicated that the whale was in good condition. The whale’s stomach was full of partially digested fish and there was fecal matter in the intestines, indicating the whale had been actively feeding prior to these injuries.
From another referenced published paper, it showed that active Navy sonar changed the feeding behavior of some whales.
So, if in the necropsy there was fresh food, then there may not have been active sonar that prohibited the animals from feeding (prior to the mortality).
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2114932119
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