The young humpback whale had become stuck on a sand bar off Morris Island, Florida, after swimming through a maze of shoals. Even for the fifteen people from the called-up local marine mammal stranding team of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the task proofed incredibly difficult. The 31-foot subadult male was only halfway covered by water in the low tide. While it could be heard breathing and appeared healthy overall, it became less and less active as time passed. The team had to work quickly.
First, they launched a specialized pontoon rescue system. However, with the system specialized on pilot whales, it proved far too small for the big animal. In a second attempt, the team called in the help of the Harbormaster and the U.S. Coast Guard to try to pull the whale into deeper water. Again, to no avail. Even with the tide at its highest point, the animal was not fully covered and could not get the buoyancy to refloat itself. Meanwhile, the current made it increasingly difficult for the team to work in the water. Still, they kept trying throughout the entire day.
When the tide fell again and dawn came around, the decision was made to retry with a different method the next morning. However, by the time they arrived at the scene, the whale had died. A large crane was called in to transport the heavy humpback to the Old Mill Boat Yard where it would later be investigated for “preexisting conditions that could have contributed to the stranding.” During the necropsy, the animal was carefully measured, and samples were taken for laboratory analysis. Experts also “hope to identify the individual whale by comparing his fluke markings with those of previously identified humpbacks.” However, regarding his young age, the chance is relatively slim.
Since the animal seemed healthy overall, it is likely that it might have gotten lost in the maze of shoals and stranded itself when It got too close during his pursuit of food.
The full article can be found here: https://capecodchronicle.com/en/5546/chatham/6549/Scientists-Investigate-Fatal-Humpback-Stranding-Marine-Mammals.htm
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