The big whale was first reported stranded on a sandbank near The Point in Lewes, Delaware. Together with the Delaware National Resource Police, the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute (MERR) was quickly called to the scene to monitor the animal and evaluate it for possible injuries.
With the high tide coming in, the 50-feet long fin whale was able to swim back out to sea. However, his condition seemed to be critical as he struggled against the water pushing him increasingly closer to the shore, finally stranding him in the shallow water in the evening.
As fin whales are the second-largest marine mammal, it is incredibly difficult to refloat them, let alone without injuring them further. Therefore, the MERR Institute and Virginia Aquarium prepared to provide palliative care, sedation, and possibly euthanasia while the Police kept people away from the whale. Sadly, the help came too late. The young male fin whale stopped breathing by noon the next day just before medical help arrived.
Strandings are usually correlated with injury or disease in big mammals. The necropsy revealed indeed that the whale had been suffering from heavy parasitic infections in the liver, lungs, and kidneys. His thin shape and empty stomach also suggested that he had not been able to feed recently. The fin whale’s body was buried on the beach at the end of the day.
To can find the full report of the stranding here: (6) MERR Institute - Posts | Facebook and refer to the necropsy results here: MERR Institute - Posts (facebook.com)