NAGS HEAD, N.C. — A stranded juvenile sperm whale that was found near Jennette's Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina, has been humanely euthanized, officials said.
According to a Facebook post from the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, the whale was reported to the OBX Marine Mammal Stranding Network (MMSN) around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.
MMSN team members responded to assess the whale, but it was being rolled in the beach's swash zone. Because of safety concerns working with a large animal in the water, the MMSN waited a few hours to observe and reassess as the tide dropped.
The aquarium said single marine mammal strandings indicate that the animal's health is rapidly declining, and humane euthanasia is the best course of action since rehabilitation for many large species is difficult or impossible.
After that, experts performed a necropsy on Thursday to learn more about the whale and try to find a cause for the stranding. In an update Friday, officials said her lymph nodes suggest a possible infection and that she was thin.
In an earlier Facebook post, officials asked people to avoid getting into the water since the whale is heavy and could roll onto someone.
To report a stranded mammal within Currituck, Dare, and Hyde counties, call the OBX Stranding Response at 252-455-9654. Those who spot a stranded mammal within Cape Hatteras National Seashore should call 252-216-6892.
