She was one of the Big Apple's hottest young stars, but tragically passed away far too soon.
The humpback whale carcass that washed up in Long Beach this week has been identified as NYC033. NYC033 is a cheerful and energetic cetacean that became familiar to whale watchers last summer for its acrobatic displays, including spectacular tail flips in the shadow of the city skyline.
“There were a few trips where it was just a tail toss. It was a whole back throw out of the water,” said Chris St. Lawrence of the Gotham Whale research center in south Brooklyn.
“We had this whale active many times…and it was right in front of the Verrazano Bridge.”
Whale experts said the 8-foot-long Leviathan likely died in the horrific boat collision, as it was missing much of its internal organs and suffered body trauma “consistent” with the impact. Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.
The whale's body, designated by researchers as NYC033, was already in a state of decomposition when it was discovered on Roosevelt Beach on Monday. Experts are still working to determine how much time has passed since death.
Following the tragic discovery of the young and popular humpback whale, those who knew her remembered the incredible show she put on for whale watchers last year.
“It will exhibit tail-throwing behavior. During the day, we've also seen it break through and lunge to feed. When it does, it will rise directly below the larger fish. It comes in and swallows it whole,” St. Lawrence said.
“We know this whale was not just feeding, but had the energy and ability to continue these acrobatic behaviors, so it definitely looked like a healthy animal.”
NYC0393 has been sighted at least 12 times near the Big Apple from June to August, and stands out among the rapidly growing humpback population in the area's waters as Gotham Whale celebrates a blockbuster year for whale watching. was.
NYC0393 is one of an astounding 100 new whales cataloged by the research center in 2024, and only five recorded when Gotham Whale began its mission in 2011. That's an astonishing number compared to that.
In addition to being known for its Broadway-like behavior, this juvenile whale was also one of the easiest to spot due to its distinctive scar along its dorsal fin, a harbinger of the mammal's tragic demise.
“Not only was there a scar on the dorsal fin, but there was also a tangle of scars around the dorsal fin, indicating that it had been wrapped in a line at some point, perhaps from fishing gear or something,” St. Lawrence said. . Lawrence, 21, added that other whales in the 400-strong catalog had similar injuries, including propeller wounds.
Although hailed as a sign of a healthy ecosystem, the burgeoning whale population in and around New York City could mean higher cetacean mortality rates.
Whales tend to follow their prey, and Gotham Whale experts have discovered that baitfish prefer Ambrose Passage, a man-made channel for large ships heading from the Atlantic Ocean to New York Harbor.
“New York City is a very busy traffic hub and we're seeing an increase in traffic. We know that more whales are coming into this dangerous area, so it's only a matter of time before something like this happens.” It’s a problem,” St. Lawrence said.
“We don't know what class of ships are hitting these whales. It could be anything from a huge cruise ship to a small fishing boat. But we know that all risks and our You have to consider the evidence that we have that whales and boats interact with some frequency in this area, and that some of those encounters go further than you might start. And we expect that some of these will end up killing these whales.”
