Wildlife officials reported that the whale appeared to be very ill and displayed symptoms of a parasitic disease.
TORRANCE, Calif.—On August 11, lifeguards and wildlife officials worked together to remove a deceased whale from Torrance Beach after conducting a partial necropsy on the 51-foot creature that washed ashore on the evening of August 10.
The fin whale, the second largest mammal in the world after the blue whale, was taken back to the sea after being stranded for over 12 hours, as per authorities.
The discovery of the whale was made around 6 p.m. on August 10 near the beach between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove, according to a post by Los Angeles County Lifeguards on X. Sadly, the animal was found within the surf line and had passed away before rescuers could arrive.
The Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC) in San Pedro and the National Marine Fisheries Service responded to the incident and confirmed that the whale had died, lifeguards mentioned.
On the morning of August 11, officials in Torrance announced that the beached whale was being prepared for a necropsy and warned of a foul odor in the vicinity. The public was advised to stay away from the area for an unspecified period.
The MMCC managed to complete the necropsy to the best of their ability before the tide rose, and swimmers were cautioned to be careful.
The MMCC informed City News Service earlier on August 11 that the exact cause of death was still unknown, but the male whale appeared to be in poor health and showed signs of a parasitic disease. The MMCC noted that the whale was not fully grown and measured 51 feet, whereas fully grown fin whales can reach up to 70 feet.
Officials from the MMCC stated that they would be collecting samples and conducting blood work to determine the cause of death, but this process could take several weeks or even months, partly due to fin whales being a recovering endangered species in California.
The whale was believed to be in a weakened state due to visible bumps on its skin and a slender physique, according to the MMCC.
