Why It Matters: A rise in whale carcasses washing onto Northeast beaches from the Atlantic Ocean has been seen this summer leaving scientists "increasingly concerned." Chris Robbins, associate director of science for Ocean Conservancy, explains that whales are "like the marine equivalent of the canary in the coal mine in that they're giving us insights into the health of the broader marine ecosystem by how they respond to various drivers and threats of the ocean."

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, humpback whale mortalities have increased since 2016. Over a third of these deaths have occurred in New York.

Ocean scientists concerned over uptick of whale deaths on Northeast coasts