Stranded humpback whale dies on Long Island beach

An 11-metre humpback whale washed ashore and died on a New York beach, one of several discovered over the past two months along the shores of New York and New Jersey.

The whale was discovered on Monday morning at Lido Beach West Town Park on Long Island.

Officials said it was still alive when found but died a short time later, according to news outlets.

Crews used a crane to pull the animal from the water so it would not be washed back out to sea. Researchers hope to perform tests to better understand what might have caused the whale to beach itself.

The animal showed no obvious signs of trauma.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is responsible for the nation’s oceans and fisheries, said 19 humpback whales were stranded last year along the US Atlantic coast.

Emergency crews try to determine how to handle the carcass of a humpback whale that washed up on shore in Lido Beach. EPA

During the first month of this year, there have already been seven beached from Maine to Florida.

Earlier in January, a nearly eight-metre humpback whale washed ashore on a New Jersey state park.

The death was the seventh on the New Jersey coastline in just over a month.

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