Assateague Island, Md. - A dead humpback whale has washed ashore on Assateague Island, causing concern among marine officials and conservationists.
The 20-foot-long whale was discovered Monday morning by a visitor to the island, and a necropsy was conducted on Tuesday to determine the cause of death.
Assateague National Seashore Superintendent, Hugh Hawthorn says the frequency of whale strandings on the island has been increasing in recent years.
"Whenever we discover a whale, or actually any marine mammal dead on the beach, we contact the marine mammal stranding people," said Hawthorne.
He added, "We had another dead whale here about two years ago. Periodically we get one about every four or five years."
The recent deaths of seven whales on the beaches of New York and New Jersey have sparked debate among conservationists and wind farm opponents over the cause of these incidents.
"We're aware that it seems to be happening more this winter along the Atlantic coast so it was a definite possibility," said Hawthorne.
Some have attributed the deaths to climate change, while others have alleged that the construction of offshore wind turbines is to blame. However, there are no offshore wind farm projects currently under construction on the coast of Maryland.
The National Park Service has closed the Maryland Oversand Vehicle Area at the 21.8 KM mark to allow crews to tend to the whale and conduct the necropsy. After the examination is complete, the whale's corpse will be left out to dry and then buried on the island.
The National Park Service reminds visitors that the dead or alive whale is protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act and should not be approached or touched. Officials are urging the public to report any sightings of dead or stranded marine mammals to the marine mammal stranding hotline at 1-800-628-9944.
