The Sei whale washed up on a Rockaway Beach was likely killed in a collision with a boat, scientists have revealed.
Biologists from the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society performed a necropsy on the massive, 45-foot mammal that washed up on the beach Thursday, said officials.
The necropsy, or animal autopsy, revealed the whale had distinctive abrasions along its right side, and an internal examination revealed extensive bruising in the surrounding tissues on the right side of the body, said officials, reported PIX11.
These preliminary findings are consistent with a suspected boat strike as the likely cause of death.
The 40-foot whale was first spotted floating about 15 miles off the Long Island coast before it drifted toward land and landed on the shore near Beach 95.
Swarms of the curious rushed to take photos of the whale and had to be cordoned off behind yellow tape, according to a Facebook post of the heartbreaking scene.
It’s extremely dangerous to stand near a dead whale, said experts.
When a deceased whale becomes beached, decomposition begins almost immediately. The whale’s body begins to bloat, and the sunlight’s heat hastens the process.
As the gasses expand, the skin thins and begins to give way. The pressure inside the whale builds to dangerous levels and can result in explosive consequences — and devastating injuries for anyone standing nearby.
Sei whales are listed under the Endangered Species Act, according to NOAA.
