SUNSET BEACH – The Marine Mammal Stranding Center responded to a report of a small whale that appeared to be dead at Sunset Beach, Lower Township, near Cape May Point, on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 3, and ended up euthanizing the animal.
First responders to the 2:10 p.m. report found that the whale was still alive and stranded dry on the beach with the outgoing tide.
The center’s stranding team and veterinarian identified it as a minke whale measuring approximately 18 feet in length. Upon examination by the veterinarian, the whale was lethargic and in thin body condition, and congestion was heard in its lungs.
After the medical assessment, it was determined that the whale’s prognosis was extremely poor and that it was unlikely to survive.
The impact of stranding on dolphins and whales is traumatic, as their body weight and organs are normally supported by the water around them. When a cetacean is stranded for any length of time, its body weight causes crushing damage to the internal organs, which lessens its chance of survival.
The decision was made to euthanize the whale to prevent further suffering.
With the assistance of the borough of Cape May Point, the carcass was secured overnight so that a necropsy could be performed Dec. 4 during daylight hours.
Additional information will be provided via the Stranding Center’s media center, https://mmsc.org/mmsc-media-center, and on social media platforms as it becomes available.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
