LBI boat-colliding whale was thin, malnourished, necropsy shows

🐳 A necropsy was done on the minke whale that collided with a boat in LBI

🐳 Initial results show the whale was thin and malnourished

🐳 Further tests will be conducted

The 26-foot minke whale that died after colliding with a motorboat in Barnegat Bay was thin, according to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.

On Monday, Aug. 4, a necropsy was performed on the whale that was stranded in Double Creek Channel in Barnegat Bay.

A necropsy on the minke whale that died after colliding with a boat in Barnegat Bay showed it was thin, the MMSC said (Photo Credit: Michael McKenna-MMSC)

Preliminary findings of the necropsy confirmed that the adult female whale was thin, and showed signs of malnourishment. External, superficial cuts were found on her body, with bruising present in the blubber and muscle in the trauma areas on the dorsal side.

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Blood was also present in her lungs, and her GI tract was empty, with very little digestive material present. A small amount of fecal matter was also found. Lesions were discovered in the stomach, as well.

A necropsy on the minke whale that died after colliding with a boat in Barnegat Bay showed it was thin, the MMSC said (Photo Credit: Michael McKenna-MMSC)

Various biological samples were collected during the necropsy and will be sent to a pathologist for further analysis.

After the necropsy was done, the whale was buried on the beach.

A passenger, seen in blue, falls off the boat after the Minke whale collision (Kim Mancini via Facebook)

On Saturday, August 2, the minke charged a motorboat near Long Beach Island, nearly capsizing it. One boat passenger went overboard but was not hurt.

Video showed the whale flailing in the bay after the collision. But it was unclear if the mammal was injured by the strike or struggling due to the shallow waters.

The minke whale in Barnegat Bay before the boat collision on Saturday (Kim Mancini via Facebook)

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center would like to thank its dedicated staff and volunteers as well as the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Cornell University, NJ State Marine Police, U.S. Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, NJ Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officers, Sea Tow, Berkley Township Underwater Search and Resue, Island Beach State Park staff, and NOAA Office of Law Enforcement for all their support during the recovery and necropsy operations.

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