Humpback Whale Carcass Washes Up on Staten Island Beach

A nearly 40-foot male humpback whale carcass was spotted floating along Staten Island’s shoreline on Friday, September 17, before washing ashore Great Kills Beach the following day.

This footage, taken by Kerri Yacca, shows the whale’s carcass floating in the water when it was initially spotted by passersby on Friday morning. The second video, taken on September 18, shows locals observing inspectors on the scene after the whale washed up on the beach.

Rob DiGiovanni, founder and chief scientist at the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, told Storyful that his team is conducting an examination with help from the National Park Service to determine the cause of the animal’s death.

After visiting the scene yesterday, DiGiovanni said that the animal looked like it may have ingested some form of debris, however the cause of death remains uncertain. Credit: Kerri Yacca via Storyful