Dead whale washes ashore north of Rodanthe on Pea Island

A dead adult humpback whale, approximately 18′ in length, washed ashore on a Pea Island beach, approximately 0.5 miles north of Rodanthe.

Per multiple reports, it displays some evidence of shark activity, but this is not necessarily the cause of death, and likely happened after the animal was deceased. Pea Island National Wildlife and National Park Service biologists were able to complete a field assessment, collect tissue samples, and photograph the carcass on site, and will report the event to the marine mammal stranding network.