The sperm whale that was stranded on a sandbank near Perth, Western Australia over the weekend has sadly passed away. The Parks and Wildlife Service of Western Australia confirmed the 15-meter (49-feet) long whale's death on Tuesday morning after it had swam off the sandbank into open water.
Mark Cugley, Incident Controller from the Parks and Wildlife Service, observed that the whale was swimming gingerly and only managed to cover a distance of 200 or 300 meters before appearing to stop. Its respiration indicated that it was nearing the end. The whale was spotted at Rockingham Beach on Saturday, where people swam close to it, touched it, and took selfies.
On Saturday, when the whale washed up on the beach, it was likely already in distress. The presence of people may have added to its stress, according to government marine mammal expert Kelly Waples. "Sperm whales typically live in deep, offshore waters where they forage and spend their time," Waples explained. "It's quite uncommon to see them so close to the shore."
The whale had swum out to sea after the interaction on Saturday, but was discovered on Monday stranded on a nearby sandbar. It was described as "thin, emaciated, and in a place it doesn't belong," according to Waples. "It has entered this area in very poor health and its chances of survival are very slim."
The authorities had contemplated euthanizing the whale, but ultimately found it dead. Rangers from the Parks and Wildlife Service of Western Australia will now relocate the 30-tonne carcass to a safer location in the water, away from the closed beach.
