NORTH CAROLINA, USA — A female pygmy sperm whale is dead after washing up on the shores of the Outer Banks.
According to wildlife officials, the animal was found emaciated in Corolla on Wednesday and had to be euthanized due to its body's condition.
The body was then transported to veterinarians for a necropsy to be conducted.
That necropsy found a parasitic infection in the whale's central nervous system. That parasite was determined to contribute to the whale's declining health before washing ashore.
The whale marks the 8th to wash up on the Outer Banks and in Virginia Beach since March. Officials said it is not uncommon to have Kogia strand this time of year.