VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - A third dead humpback whale has been spotted in the Hampton Roads area this month.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center spokesman Matt Klepeisz says a male juvenile humpback whale came ashore on Virginia Beach either Saturday night or Sunday morning.
Aquarium stranding team coordinator Alex Costidis tells The Virginian-Pilot that the 30-foot-long whale had three large wounds that were probably caused by propellers. He estimated the whale was 2 to 4 years old and weighed 13,000 to 16,000 pounds.
A dead humpback whale was also found near the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel on Feb. 2 and another was discovered dead near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel on Feb. 4.
Officials say it is common for the creatures to be off the Virginia beach coast this time of year.
