Juvenile sperm whale euthanized after stranding on US beach

A young sperm whale was euthanized on Sunday after he became stranded on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, United States.

The whale, measuring around 31 feet (9.4 meters) long and weighing about 20 tons, was found on the beach near the Marriott Grand Ocean Resort on Saturday afternoon.

Local volunteers from the island’s Sea Turtle Patrol were the first to respond. They kept the whale wet and shaded while waiting for help from marine experts.

A veterinary team from the Georgia Aquarium and a specialist from the University of Florida later arrived to assess the animal’s condition.

Experts found the whale was very thin and in poor health. After evaluating the situation, they decided that euthanasia was the most humane option, as the whale was unlikely to survive.

A veterinarian sedated the whale before euthanizing him. Specialists are now performing an autopsy to try to understand why the whale became sick and stranded. The whale will be buried on the beach once the examination is complete.

Sperm whales: Giants of the deep

Sperm whales are the largest toothed whales in the world and are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They live in deep waters, far from shore. It is rare for them to come so close to land.

According to the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, about 2,000 whales and dolphins strand on beaches every year in the United States. Many of them are already sick or injured before they reach the shore.

Sperm whales continue to face numerous threats. These include entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, consumption of marine trash, and the impacts of climate change.

Ocean noise pollution from shipping, seismic surveys, and military exercises disrupt their communication and navigation. Additionally, changes in sea temperature and prey availability affect their feeding patterns.