BETHANY BEACH, Del.- Researchers along the East Coast are remembering a young humpback whale known as NYC0311 after the whale washed ashore near Bethany Beach and was found to have died from injuries linked to a ship strike.
The Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute confirmed the whale suffered devastating blunt force trauma, including a broken jaw and subdermal hemorrhaging. MERR said the injuries show the whale was still alive when it was hit.
According to the nonprofit Gotham Whale, NYC0311 was well known to scientists who catalog humpback whales along the East Coast, particularly in the New York Bight. Researchers observed the whale 28 times — 18 times in 2023 and 10 times in 2024 — tracking his movements and behavior over several years.
Gotham Whale says NYC0311 was easily recognized by a distinct eyespot on the left fluke and was remembered as playful and energetic. Contributors frequently observed him bobbing vertically in the water with only the tip of his rostrum exposed. Researchers also noted that it had briefly become entangled in a pot buoy in the past but had broken free on its own.
Scientists said NYC0311 is memorialized in Gotham Whale’s 2026 calendar, appearing in the month of June.
Researchers say the loss of NYC0311 highlights growing concerns about ship strikes as humpback whales spend more time south of the Gulf of Maine. Busy shipping lanes near New York Harbor, Delaware Bay and the Chesapeake Bay overlap with areas where whales are increasingly feeding. Scientists have also found that some younger whales are no longer migrating and remain along the East Coast year-round, increasing the risk of deadly encounters with ships.
After the examination, the whale was buried on the beach, a common practice for large whales that cannot be safely towed offshore. MERR said burying whales on the beach allows them to continue contributing to the coastal ecosystem.