February 15, 2023 — A 43-foot North Atlantic right whale washed ashore Sunday near Aeires on the Bay Park.
A necropsy was slated for today by the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center Stranding Response Program and NOAA. Officials estimate the whale was 20 years old.
Last week, the Virginia Beach Marine Patrol pulled a dead 36-foot humpback whale ashore near First Landing State Park. In the humpback’s necropsy, the stranding team used a technique they call “peeling the banana,” in which they split the whale from mouth to tail, catalog and take samples. The samples help researchers determine the mammal’s diet, the health of its organs and potential cause of death.
“It is helpful to know that, even though it has passed away, we can still learn something from it,” said Caryl Thompson, chief operating officer at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center.
The whale was then buried on the beach.