What We Know: Whale beached in Venice, Florida in Sarasota County
A beached sperm whale was spotted Sunday morning on a sandbar about 50 yards from the beach in Venice, Florida in Sarasota County. The sandbar is about half a mile away from the Venice fishing pier, just off shore from Venice's Service Club Park.
The sighting mobilized officials and experts from Sarasota County's Mote Marine Laboratory, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and several groups of local law enforcement.
Is the whale that beached itself in Venice, Florida still alive?
Officials confirmed that the whale that beached itself in Venice died at around 3 a.m. on Monday morning. Officials said on Sunday that they didn't expect the whale to survive and its breathing became more labored as the day continued. They confirmed the whale died of natural causes without a sedative.
Why did the beached whale in Venice, Florida die?
Officials have not yet determined the cause of death for the whale that beached itself in Venice, Florida. Scientists and officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, NOAA, Mote, local law enforcement and other agencies are preparing to transport the whale onto the shore and perform a necropsy, which will allow researchers to determine more information about the whale. It’s a process that Laura Englebey, chief of NOAA’s southeast branch, said could take all day.
“It’s a very heavy, large whale, and it’s going to require some pretty heavy equipment and logistics,” Englebey said.
Why wasn't the whale that beached itself in Venice, Florida pushed back into the water?
Denise Boyd, an assistant research associate with the FWC Marine Mammal Program, said the whale likely beached itself because it was already dying. With no energy to swim, Boyd said the whale would’ve drowned if it were pushed back out to sea.
“If an animal beaches itself, it is almost always a clear indication that they’re in distress or they’re actually in the process of dying,” Boyd. “We did everything in our power to prevent any suffering, but this is just the natural process.”
What kind of whale beached itself in Venice, Florida?
The whale that beached itself off of Venice, Florida is a male sperm whale. According to the NOAA, sperm whales are the largest toothed whales in the world, typically frequent deep ocean areas and can dive to depths of over 10,000 feet. Their diet usually consists of squid, sharks and larger fish. Female sperm whales can grow to be 40 feet in length and weigh 15 tons, while males can be 52 feet and weigh 45 tons.
How big is the whale that beached itself in Venice, Florida?
Officials estimate that the whale beached off the coast of Venice, Florida is 44 feet in length and weighs around 35 tons.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Is the whale beached in Venice, Florida alive what kind of whale is it
