A dead humpback whale washed up on a Jersey Shore beach early Thursday, officials said.
The whale, which is estimated to be about 25 to 30 feet long, was found in the area of 51st Street in Long Beach Township at about 6:45 a.m., the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said.
Officials from the Brigantine-based MMSC are headed to LBI to investigate. Long Beach Township Police are keeping people away from the whale.
The whale is the first found dead along the Jersey Shore this year, according to stranding center statistics. There were nine humpback whale strandings last year and four in 2022.
A dead humpback whale rolls in the surf after washing up on the beach in Long beach Township on Thursday, April 11, 2024.Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media
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