Deceased Whale Buried Under Lavallette Beach Following Necropsy

A whale is buried on the Lavallette oceanfront, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (Photo: MMSC)

A minke whale that washed up Friday on the Trenton Avenue beach in Lavallette was buried under the sand by officials following a necropsy having been performed on the deceased marine mammal.

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center, based in Brigantine, said Sunday in a statement that the whale was identified as an adult male measuring 17.5 feet in length in thin body condition, with no food found in the digestive tract.

Evidence of inflammation in multiple organs consistent with infectious disease was documented, the statement said. Biological samples were collected and will be sent for histopathologic analysis. The necropsy was performed by personnel from the stranding center, the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, and Cornell University.

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The final disposal of a whale carcass is the responsibility of the property owner, the MMSC said. The Borough of Lavallette elected to bury the remains on the beach at the conclusion of the necropsy, a common practice that occurs when a large marine creature washes up deceased.