Beached Sperm Whale Found In Ocean City, Maryland, Dies
OCEAN CITY, Md. (WJZ) -- A beached whale that was found on the beach in Ocean City, Maryland, Sunday morning has died.
The juvenile sperm whale was found along the north side of Ocean City, near the High Point North around 114th Street around 6:45 a.m., officials said.
The Marine Animal Rescue team from the National Aquarium in Baltimore was called to help with the whale. The rescuers arrived just before 11 a.m. However, by 1:30 p.m. rescuers determined the whale had died.
A spokesperson for the National Aquarium released a statement in regard to the beached whale that died.
"Aquarium veterinarians on scene have determined the juvenile sperm whale has died. Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will now take the lead, in cooperation with the Ocean City Police Department, in safely removing the animal from the beach. DNR will lead a team in performing a necropsy, an animal autopsy, to attempt to learn more about this animal and why it stranded."
The beached whale drew a lot of interest Sunday. Hundreds gathered along the beach to watch and capture the once-in-a-lifetime moment.
In a Facebook group dedicated to Ocean City, posters shared photos, videos and concerns about the whale's status.
Bill Fuhrer, with local radio station WOCM, live-streamed a rescue attempt.
Whale washed on shore
Posted by Bill Fuhrer on Sunday, September 15, 2019
Jeff Seidenspinner with The Drone OC captured the attempted rescue via his drone.
Ultimately the whale died and was removed from the beach:
This breaks my heart. ???????? It's hard to see this and yet I think it needs to be seen. This I s an update to my prior post...
Posted by Justin Berk, Meteorologist on Sunday, September 15, 2019
The National Aquarium said that when you see an animal in distress the best thing you can do is give it space and immediately contact a trained wildlife first responder.