Beached whale in Ormond Beach, Florida, euthanized

By DINAH VOYLES PULVER, Environment Writer

March 6, 2012

Beached whale in Volusia diagnosed with heart failure, euthanized

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA — A group of volunteers who worked throughout the day Monday to save a beached pygmy sperm whale wound up saying tearful goodbyes to the ailing animal as a veterinarian euthanized it on the sand after determining it was too sick to save.

People tend to a beached pygmy sperm whale on the beach in Ormond-by-the Sea. (N-J | Peter Bauer)

Dr. Craig Pelton, with the University of Florida and Volusia County’s Marine Science Center, examined the whale as it lay at the surf’s edge and determined the “emaciated” marine mammal probably had chronic heart failure.

The group of more than a dozen bystanders, some of whom had given aid to the whale for more than three hours, gave the whale a few last strokes, with some saying prayers or quietly sobbing, as Pelton administered more than five tubes of euthanasia drugs.

“Hopefully everyone understands,” Pelton told a group of bystanders. “It’s in the best interest of this animal.”

Pelton said putting an animal down is one of the “hardest parts” of the job, but also one of the “most compassionate” to be able to shorten the amount of time an animal is “in agony.” Pelton estimated the 11-foot-long male whale was probably about 15 to 16 years old and said the species typically does not do well in rehabilitation.

Pygmy sperm whales live in deep water over the continental shelf but are the second most common marine mammal to strand on Atlantic Coast beaches behind …

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Dead Whale Washes Ashore In Cocoa Beach

WESH – Orlando video

A 10 foot, 700 pound Pygmy sperm whale washed up dead on the shore of Cocoa Beach Wednesday.

Pygmy Sperm Whale Washes in On Cocoa Beach, Florida *PIC*VIDEO*
To Mass Animal Death on Wednesday, April 18, 2012

In my back yard practically and heard nothing about it, just turned up on other Pygmy death and went looking for it !

Same place all the photos and videos are at bottom of xdrfox stories page when I was covering the BP oil affects on east coast and it’s dieing wild life !

Great numbers of dolphin’s and many whales are commonly mot reported and do not show up on searches, this under reporting may be for a reason, was surprised to see Brevard County had over 27 deaths this year alone so far !