A deceased whale was discovered floating in Newark Bay on Thursday, prompting a coordinated response to recover the carcass and determine how it died.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center and the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society confirmed they are working together alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, and NOAA to develop a recovery plan. They are looking to identify a suitable location to tow the whale for examination.
As of Thursday evening, the species and length of the whale had not been confirmed.
Where It Was Found
Newark Bay sits just east of Newark Liberty International Airport and serves as home to the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal—the largest shipping container facility in the tri-state area and one of the busiest ports in the nation.
The discovery of a whale carcass in such heavily trafficked waters drew immediate attention, prompting a swift response from local, state, and federal agencies.
What Comes Next
Teams are being assembled to perform a necropsy—a postmortem examination that will help determine the whale’s species, size, and likely cause of death. Results are expected to be shared once the examination is complete.
“Both organizations are currently assembling a team to facilitate the necropsy. Our teams will be in the field working on this active situation,” the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said in a statement.
Not the First Time
This is the second time a whale has turned up in New Jersey waters this year. In January, a dead fin whale washed ashore in Gloucester City—one of several whale strandings that have drawn attention to the health of marine life along the Jersey Shore and surrounding waterways.
You can read our coverage of that incident here.
For now, the Newark Bay whale carcass remains a mystery. Authorities are working to learn more.