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According to Marine Mammal Stranding Center on Tuesday August 29, 2023 the Marine Mammal Stranding Center received a call for an adult female Pygmy Sperm whale stranded on the beach at Seaview Drive in Loveladies.
Trained MMSC Stranding Volunteers local to LBI were immediately dispatched to the scene as MMSC Stranding Staff mobilized from Brigantine with the Cetacean Response Vehicle. Members of the Long Beach Township Beach Patrol assisted the volunteers with helping to make the animal as comfortable as possible by keeping her upright and wet as she lay on the beach.
With the help of the lifeguards, public works staff and members of the public, the 10-foot 9-inch long whale, weighing over 800lbs, was carried in a stretcher and lifted up into a DPW truck to be moved off the beach to the transport vehicle.
Photo Credit: Marine Mammal Stranding Center
The whale was found to be extremely lethargic, unresponsive, and to be breathing laboriously, according to the MMSC. "After the medical evaluation, it was determined that she had a very poor prognosis and was not likely to survive."
The MMSC states that while whales and dolphins' body weight and internal organs are typically supported by the water around them, when they become stranded, their own body weight causes crushing harm to those organs.
The MMSC stated that the choice to humanely euthanize the whale was made in order to stop future suffering.
According to the MMSC, the whale was brought right away to Animal Health Diagnostic Lab for a necropsy.
The MMSC stated that the laboratory would follow NOAA guidelines for sampling recently deceased cetaceans and preserving samples for examination of the ears and other organs.
The Pygmy Sperm whale was immediately transported to Animal Health Diagnostic Lab (NJAHDL), New Jersey Dept. of Agriculture in Trenton where the necropsy is taking place.
The laboratory will be following NOAA protocols for sampling freshly deceased cetaceans, and preserving samples for analysis of the ears and other organs. The
Marine Mammal Stranding Center plan to share additional updates when the initial necropsy results become available via their
website .
