top of page
Search

Juvenile sperm whale stranded on Maryland shore

A young sperm whale was washed ashore in Ocean City in Maryland, United States, on September 16th.

After being reported by local citizens in the early morning, the Marine Animal Rescue Team from the National Aquarium in Baltimore arrived on the scene, followed by veterinarians. Further help was provided by hundreds of onlookers gathering around the scene, documenting the rescue and attempting to push the animal back into the water.


Despite all the efforts, the young whale had to be declared dead before 1.30 p.m. CNN reports that the animal “appeared to be extremely underweight”. To assess the cause for the stranding, the body had been removed from the beach on the same afternoon to undergo an autopsy. Sperm whales are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Since their habitat is more likely to be found in deeper ocean water, strandings can often be traced back to injuries or illnesses.


The Marine Animal Rescue team from the National Aquarium in Baltimore trying to save the young sperm whale. Photo by Morgan Pilz, Ocean City Today

0 comments

Comentários


bottom of page