Partial whale skull washes up on North Carolina beach

Ashley Anderson
·2 min read
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HATTERAS ISLAND, N.C. (WNCN) — Along the southern shores of the Outer Banks in North Carolina, a massive (yet only partial) skull of a humpback whale made an appearance on Wednesday.

Taking to its Facebook page to post the below photo, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore said this is just the latest fascinating discovery to be found on the beaches of Cape Hatteras.

Child finds part of jawbone ‘not from modern times’ in water at NC Outer Banks

The whale’s skull that washed ashore was able to be identified as a humpback whale’s due to its specialized skull structure which the Seashore, a part of the National Park Service, said is there to “support their unique feeding behaviors.”

  • A large portion of a humpback whale’s skull washes ashore on Cape Hatteras Island. (Courtesy E. Dlutkowski via the National Park Service)
    A large portion of a humpback whale’s skull washes ashore on Cape Hatteras Island. (Courtesy E. Dlutkowski via the National Park Service)
  • A large portion of a humpback whale’s skull washes ashore on Cape Hatteras Island. (Courtesy E. Dlutkowski via the National Park Service)
    A large portion of a humpback whale’s skull washes ashore on Cape Hatteras Island. (Courtesy E. Dlutkowski via the National Park Service)

Quite different from what is known about human skulls, humpback whales’ skulls are actually quite flexible.

“Their skulls are relatively flexible, especially around the jaw joints, which enables them to open their mouths wide to consume large volumes of water and prey,” the post added. “The also have mandibles (lower jaws) that are not fused to their skulls.”

So, how did such a large partial whale skull end up on the beach?

The Seashore explained it like this: many marine animals are always on the move and looking for their next meal. While feeding, some find themselves close to the Cape’s beaches because that’s where the southern Gulf Stream and the northern Labrador Current collide off the coast.

Humpback whale breaching off Icy Straits Point in Alaska. (Photo by: Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Humpback whale breaching off Icy Straits Point in Alaska. (Photo by: Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Marine experts have also found that because the barrier island chains are not far at all from the continental shelf, this creates a pattern of a lot of strandings within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore boundaries. Whether you live along the Outer Banks or are visiting, anyone who spots beach marine life, and even skeletal remains like this, is asked to report it by calling 252-216-6892.

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