A young humpback whale that delighted whale watchers in Cape Cod Bay last summer has been found dead on the Delaware coast with injuries consistent with a collision with a large vessel.
The juvenile male, around 32 feet long and estimated to weigh at least 20,000 pounds, was discovered after washing ashore in the Ocean Ridge area near Bethany Beach on 8 January. Responders from the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute (MERR) carried out a necropsy once the whale could be safely moved higher up the beach.
MERR reported subdermal haemorrhaging and a broken jaw - signs of blunt-force trauma that are often associated with a ship strike. The pattern of injuries suggested the whale was alive at the point of impact. The whale was later buried on the beach, a standard approach for large carcasses that cannot be safely towed offshore.
The whale was recognised from photographs taken during repeated encounters in 2025 and nicknamed “Oil Change” by Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises, referring to a distinctive white marking on his tail fluke.
This death comes against the backdrop of NOAA’s ongoing “Unusual Mortality Event” for humpback whales along the US Atlantic coast, which has seen elevated strandings since 2016. As of July 2025, NOAA says about 45% of examined whales showed evidence of human interaction, including vessel strikes and entanglement.
Stop deadly ship strikes
Ship strikes are one of the biggest threats to large whales. ORCA works with shipping partners and volunteers to monitor hotspots and prevent collisions. Support this life-saving work today.