Beachgoers make a disturbing discovery in Cape May, NJ

🐋 Whale washes up on South Jersey beach

🐋 The animal was euthanized

🐋 Strandings are down from 2023

People walking on a popular South Jersey beach came upon a stranded whale Tuesday afternoon.

Cape May Police got the call to respond to Sunset Beach around 3:30 p.m.

Robert Newkirk via Facebook

A crew from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center responded shortly after.

The whale appeared to be a juvenile Minke whale, but MMSC officials could not confirm that. Video posted to Facebook shows the whale was not much larger than the bystanders who were standing next to it.

It is likely the whale beached itself because it was ill.

MMSC responders made the decision to euthanize the whale on the beach. A necropsy will be performed to determine cause of death.

Robert Newkirk via Facebook

Sunset Beach is a popular year-round destination for its sweeping views of Delaware Bay, breathtaking sunsets and the historic wreck of the SS Atlantus, a World War I concrete ship that ran aground just offshore.

The WW I SS Atlantus before she was beached of the coast of Cape May.
Public Domain/Public Record by way of concreteships.org

Strandings down for 2024

The number of whale and dolphin strandings are down compared to last year.

In 2023, 14 whales were found washed up on New Jersey beaches. To date in 2024, seven whales have beached in New Jersey.

Dolphin strandings are also down slightly year-over-year. In 2023, 54 dolphins were stranded on New Jersey beaches. In 2024, 51 dolphin strandings have been recorded.

Google Maps

Many local officials and ocean advocates had blamed offshore wind farm development for a record number of whale strandings in 2023, but no definitive scientific link has ever been found.

It is worth noting that the number of whale strandings dropped after wind developer Orsted canceled work on two wind farm projects off the Jersey Shore.

Robert Newkirk via Facebook