Dead Whale Washes Ashore in Atlantic City, Tagged with Graffiti
Dead whale found on beach spray-painted with graffiti http://t.co/yyd4cYDA9r pic.twitter.com/M2kpZrurGG
— NBC 40 News (@nbc40news) May 1, 2014
NBC 40 is reporting a small whale that washed ashore in Atlantic City sometime overnight was discovered this morning covered with graffiti.
The whale appears to be marked with the Greek letters Tau Epsilon Phi, a fraternity headquartered in Voorhees with three local chapters: Penn, Rutgers and Rowan.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center hasn’t determined a cause of death yet, but whales wash ashore on New Jersey beaches relatively frequently. A dead dolphin was also found a few blocks from the whale; there is believed to be no connection. The whale was about 15 feet long.
The Press of Atlantic City writes that several boardwalk businesses are angry that the whale will be buried near the boardwalk: A psychic shop owner says they’re worried the smell will drive customers away.
Many in the area will remember another tagging of an animal — this one alive. Infamous Philly graffiti artist Cornbread tagged both sides of an elephant with “CORNBREAD LIVES” at the Philadelphia Zoo in the early 1970s. Cornbread, aka Darryl McCray, got nine months in reform school for the stunt. He says he tagged the elephant because his friend Cornelius was shot dead; McCray wanted people to know Cornbread was not the one killed.
Sad story. This whale washed up on shore & was then 'tagged' by someone under pier at Tennessee Ave in Atlantic City. pic.twitter.com/Nw0sAQZdW9
— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) May 1, 2014
Fox 29 has another angle of the tagged whale.
