After several hours of fighting for survival, a sperm whale stranded off the Gulf Coast of Florida has died. Several US media reported this on Monday morning (local time), citing the responsible environmental authorities in the US state. The marine mammal was discovered early Sunday morning (local time) in the water near the popular tourist resort of Venice.
Marine biologists who were called in had already suspected that he could not be saved. The plan to administer a sedative from a boat was deemed too dangerous due to the conditions on the water. According to reports, the animal, which weighs around 30 tons and is around 13 meters long, drifted closer and closer to the coast during the night. Ultimately the distance to the beach was only a few meters. This allowed for more accurate estimates of the animal’s size.
Videos from the responsible police and US media showed how waves hit the whale, which was initially still alive and which repeatedly raised its fins in the shallow water. The authorities asked people to avoid the area in several messages on Facebook and cordoned off a large area. Nevertheless, a crowd gathered on the beach, as seen in photos. A number of private individuals shared images of the dying animal on social media.
Sperm whales live in all of the world’s oceans. According to the environmental and animal welfare organization WWF, they can dive up to 2,000 meters deep in search of food. Large bulls can reach a length of over 20 meters and a weight of around 50 tons. In some cases, the huge animals get stranded because they are injured or old. Biologists now want to clarify what the reasons were for the sperm whale in Florida.
