Deceased Minke Whale Washes Up in Lavallette, Removed From Beach

A minke whale washed up in Lavallette, N.J., later taken to a public works yard, Oct. 4, 2024. (Credit: Janice Fix/ Lavallette Boardwalk/ Facebook)

A deceased minke whale was discovered washed up on the Lavallette beachfront Friday morning.

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said it received a report of a small, deceased whale near Trenton Avenue in Lavallette around 6:30 a.m. The animal was identified as a Minke whale measuring 10 to 12 feet in length.

With the assistance of the Lavallette’s public works and police departments, the carcass was transported to the public works yard and has been secured for necropsy. Currently MMSC is assembling a necropsy team, the organization said.

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A minke whale washed up in Lavallette, N.J., later taken to a public works yard, Oct. 4, 2024. (Credit: Janice Fix/ Lavallette Boardwalk/ Facebook)

A minke whale washed up in Lavallette, N.J., later taken to a public works yard, Oct. 4, 2024. (Credit: Janice Fix/ Lavallette Boardwalk/ Facebook)

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center prepares to remove a whale from the Lavallette beachfront, Oct. 4, 2024. (Photo: MMSC)

The MMSC confirmed that the whale found in Lavallette is a different animal than the one sighted in Raritan Bay on Thursday. That whale, also deceased, is currently being tracked electronically and will be recovered by the center when it reaches shore.

Minke whales are the second-smallest baleen whale species and typically live between 30 to 50 years. They generally feed on small fish such as herring, krill and sandeels. Though minke whales are protected through federal legislation covering all marine mammals, the species is not considered endangered or threatened.