FWC: Beached sperm whale confirmed dead after being found offshore in Venice

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sperm whale
Sperm whale dragged ashore on Venice Beach. CREDIT: WINK News

A beached sperm whale found off the coast of Venice on Sunday morning has now been confirmed dead by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

According to the FWC, the 44-foot-long male whale had passed early Monday after rescue attempts by the Venice Police Department, FWC and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration failed due to dangerous conditions.

sperm whale
Officials dragging the whale ashore. CREDIT: WINK News

Efforts transitioned from a rescue mission into a recovery mission and the remains were relocated 10 to 15 miles away from the beach.

WINK News spoke with Gretchen Lovewell, the Mote Marina Laboratory stranding investigations manager, about how the scene was unfolding.

“Continuing to get the animal up on the beach and working on sampling as much as we can,” said Lovewell.

NOAA representative Laura Englebey spoke with WINK News and confirmed that the whale passed overnight, and agencies made a plan to pull the whale’s carcass onto the shore for a necropsy.

Heavy equipment was required to remove the mammal from the shallows of the shore.

According to Englebey, the whale’s carcass was stuck in shallow water and close to the beach, making efforts to remove it easier.

sperm whale
CREDIT: WINK News

The necropsy will last into Tuesday to complete, with photographs, measurements and a full investigation into the organs of the mammal.

“We do want to make sure these animals don’t die in vain,” said Lovewell.

The 70,000-pound mammal was removed from the shallow waters by noon on Monday.

Early examination of the mammal by several agencies on the scene stated that it was underweight and sickly when it beached.

Visitors of Venice Beach are advised to stay behind the caution tape placed around the perimeter of the land by the Venice Police Department.

As equipment attempted to remove the beached mammal from the shallow waters, a deep cut into the tissue was created.

Crews working on the scene had to readjust the sperm whale, using the sand to roll it over gently.

FWC encourages people to avoid the waters due to the possibility of sharks being in the area, which would have normally feasted on the remains.

The date for the release of the necropsy report remains undetermined.

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