Whale skull washes up on North Carolina beach
HATTERAS ISLAND, N.C. (WNCN) — Along the southern shores of the Outer Banks in North Carolina, the massive (yet only partial) skull of a humpback whale made an appearance on Wednesday.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore shared news of the washed-up skull on its Facebook page, calling it the latest “fascinating discovery” on the beach in recent days.
Video: Puppy chases car after being abandoned in California
The whale’s skull that washed ashore was identified as a humpback whale’s due to its specialized skull structure which the Seashore — part of the National Park Service — said is necessary to support the animal’s “unique feeding behaviors.”
“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 Seashore’s 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?
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)
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.
Child finds part of jawbone ‘not from modern times’ in water at NC Outer Banks
Marine experts have also found that the nearby barrier island chains, because they’re not far from the continental shelf, create a pattern of strandings within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore boundaries.
Humpback whale populations can be found in oceans throughout the world, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The populations in the North Atlantic are known to migrate thousands of miles to the western coast of Africa in the winter, the NOAA says.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
