Beached Whale

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Sciencing Daily
My brother (Beaun) just sent me a text saying that they found a beached whale at wyborg's beach in East Hampton. He said it is about 20ft long and either a fin whale or a minke whale, and at that length would make it a juvi. They called the Atlantis rescue so we will see what comes of it.

Its been pretty calm weather so I wonder if it didnt get tagged by a ship or something.
 
It's a humpback

Picture4-1.png
 
Just got back into the office from doing some fencing work. The Natural Resources Department got a call about this whale at ~8:30 this morning and I tagged along to see it. It's the first whale I've ever seen in the wild. The tide was still coming in when the picture was taken and the Riverhead Foundation was called, but that's all I know. I thought it was a small fin whale at first, but someone else said humpback later, it was hard to tell from the beach.
 
From what I heard they were unable to euthanize it because it is not technically beached yet (still in water) and they cant push it back in because it't too danger and someone can get killed by the whale. So they are waiting for it to either die, get beached and euthanize it, or for it to get pulled back out to sea.
 
I've seen them pull whales off the shoreline with nets from Zodiac boats, wonder why they cant try that?
Hope he makes it!
 
can i put him in my 240g? lol
its a shame with all of todays technology and equipments there is not much that can be done to save him :(
 
I got the chance to go hang out with the vet that works with Atlantis and with the Riverhead foundation, which is the group that does all the rescue work. Let me tell you, those guys really know what they are doing, and are very devoted to their work. One of the most impressive parts was watching the veterinary tech handle a seal (I was a tech for years so I know what it's like). The tech was so efficient, gentle, calm, with this feral animal almost as big as she was. The people that work there really love the animals they care for, and I'm sure they are pained to have a whale out there they can't help. :(

Then again, if the whale DOES die, and they get it out of the water, that might be the lab animal for my school marine mammal necropsy :) Really, how often do you get the opportunity to cut open a whale? (I know, I'm sick).
 
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They said they would just burry it right there, so you would need to get in contact with East Hampton Village if you really wanted it that bad. Whales dont get beached by accident, usually there is something wrong and the Riverhead Foundation is really good about doing things right. They call from time to time during the plover season asking if we are in the area of a call and if we can check it out first. Usually it is just a seal taking a break in the sun on the sand and they would rather not have to drive all the way out here for that.
 
Its not just because of the whales size the Riverhead foundation is saying because the mother is not around this baby cannot survive anyway. This is pretty sad! I had a Vet tell me that about 2 baby racoons I found last spring. Guess what they are alive and doing fine. Not saying the whale would survive but I hate when people give up. When is it ok to say "the effort isn't worth it" when talking about another animal?

Yes you guest it I the guy who stops traffic to make sure the turtle makes it across the rd. :)
 
I save turtles too.

If the calf is less than a year old, it hasn't even been weened off of milk yet, so it really won't survive which is sad but reality. And they drink about 100 gallons a day.
 
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