A significant marine mammal carcass, identified as a 40-foot-long Sei whale, washed ashore on Rockaway Beach in Queens on Thursday. The whale, estimated to be approximately the length of a city bus, was discovered on the beach near Beach 95th Street in the morning hours.

The discovery followed an earlier sighting of the large marine animal. An aerial survey team initially spotted the whale carcass floating in the ocean on Wednesday, approximately 15 miles south of Long Island, before it eventually drifted to the Queens coastline.

Several agencies and organizations are coordinating efforts to manage the situation. The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society is collaborating with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and NOAA Fisheries New England/Mid-Atlantic. Their immediate focus is on securing and monitoring the deceased whale.

The inter-agency team is developing a plan to thoroughly document the whale. An autopsy, also known as a necropsy for marine animals, has been scheduled for Friday. This procedure aims to gather crucial scientific data and determine the cause of the whale's death.