NEW YORK – A whale rarely seen in our area washed up on a Brooklyn beach earlier this week and then died, an animal conservation group said.
The New York Marine Rescue Center (NYMRC) traveled to Plumb Beach from its Riverhead location, after reports of the stranded pygmy sperm whale came in on Sunday. Before the group arrived, worried onlookers pushed the whale into the water several times.
When it appeared a third time, the NYMRC conducted an in-field evaluation. Euthanasia was determined to be the best course of action for the compromised animal, which is not commonly seen along the Long Island coastline.
However, due to the incoming tide, location, and human safety concerns, the whale would be monitored overnight and reassessed first thing in the morning.
The whale’s condition continued to deteriorate and it passed away early in the morning.
The necropsy was performed by the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society. The marine mammal was a young adult male, nine feet long.
The whale was also found with various parasites.
This is the 18th pygmy sperm whale to be stranded in New York in the last four decades.
The NYMRC said that cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and whales) are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and it is illegal to attempt to feed or interact with the animals.
The best way to help any of these animals, while keeping them and the people involved safe, is to keep a distance of 150 feet and call the NYS 24-Stranding hotline at (631)-369-9829. .
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