After attempts to save it, a sperm whale that washed up on the sand off the coast of Venice, Florida, died, officials said on Monday.
Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “confirmed the whale has passed away,” according to a Facebook post from the Venice Police Department.
According to police, Service Club Park in Venice, where many agencies rushed to the stranded whale, is still blocked.
According to authorities, the sperm whale had been stranded on a sandbar around 50 yards from the park since Saturday morning.
As crews from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Mote Marine Laboratory made an effort to get to the whale, police blocked off the park’s entry.
All of the world’s main seas are home to sperm whales, which are currently protected as a threatened species following years of population decrease brought on by human fishing.
It was informed by Kaitlyn Fusco, a representative of Mote Marine Laboratory’s stranding investigations programmer, that the whale was believed to be longer than fifty feet.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, sperm whales are the biggest species of toothed whales. Females may reach lengths of up to 36 feet, while males can reach lengths of up to 52 feet.
Wildlife personnel had received assistance from police and members of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in handling the whale.
In a Sunday afternoon update, law enforcement stated that although they were attempting to give the terrified animal a tranquiliser, they were unable to do so due to hazardous water conditions.
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