WATCH: Sharks feast on whale carcass off Venice Beach

*WARNING: Videos and images show material that may be graphic for some viewers*

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Several sharks were spotted feasting on a sperm whale’s carcass days after it was hauled off the coast of Venice.

Sea Tow, the company that hauled the whale back to the ocean, shared photos and videos of the sharks gnawing at the 44-foot-long, 77,000-pound whale.

Officials haul whale carcass off Venice Beach and out to sea

The whale was spotted on Venice Beach early Sunday morning and died on Monday before crews could sedate and move it. Officials towed the whale 15 miles offshore and let it sink to the ocean floor.

Researchers said they would continue their necropsy process to determine the whale’s cause of death but have ruled out some causes, such as bowel obstruction from plastic or other ocean debris. However, researchers noted the male whale had bite marks on its head, which are believed to be from another male sperm whale.

The necropsy results will be released in the coming weeks or months.

Researchers noted that it’s unusual for a sperm whale to be so close to the shore, as they’re typically found in deeper waters.

Sperm whales live in deep water; how did one get stuck in Sarasota County?

“You know they like the DeSoto Canyon, 2,000 feet of water… Dry Tortugas,” Gretchen Lovewell, a marine researcher, said. “So, the fact that it was this close to shore and skinny tells us something has been going wrong for a while.”

A no-swim advisory was issued as officials were worried that sharks and other marine life could be attracted to the whale’s blood. The advisory, which spanned from South Jetty, Venice Beach, Service Club Park, Sharky’s on the Pier, and Caspersen beaches, was lifted on Wednesday.

Whale carcasses are large sources of energy for sharks, so feeding frenzies may occur.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.