A Minke whale that washed up on a shore in Cape May, New Jersey, on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, was euthanized after it was found to be in poor health with little chance of survival, officials said.
In a notice posted to social media, officials with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said they were called to a report of a Minke whale found on Sunset Beach along Cape May Point, New Jersey, at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.
Officials with the center said that the animal was found alive, but stranded on the shore due to an outgoing tide.
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The animal measured about 18 feet in length, officials said, and it was determined that the whale's chances of survival were unlikely.
According to the center, the "impact of stranding on cetaceans (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, their own body weight causes crushing damage to their internal organs, which lessens their chances of survival."
Officials with the center made the decision to euthanize the animal to prevent further suffering.
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According to the center, the animal's remains were secured overnight so that a necropsy could be performed on Wednesday, Dec. 4. 2024.
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