A 31 foot long sperm whale beached itself along the shore at South Forest Beach on Hilton Head Island in Beaufort County on Saturday evening.
According to social media reports on Sunday morning, the whale is still alive. Authorities have been pouring water on the whale and covering it in wet towels to try to help it.
The Town’s posting said that trained professionals, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and marine mammal experts are on the beach keeping the whale comfortable.
A veterinarian from the Georgia Aquarium is on their way to perform euthanasia on the whale, and the specific type and amount of euthanasia medication is currently on its way from Florida.
The whale was first spotted along the beach on Saturday evening around 6:30pm, and low tide was coming at 8:17pm, which, combined with the imminent darkness, made any care for the whale or the chances of saving it that much more difficult. Social media postings with photos started pouring in right away.
A certified Marine Biologist in the area was on the scene starting on Saturday night, and volunteers with the Sea Turtle Patrol spent the night on the beach keeping the whale company as best they could, according to reports.
Whales typically beach themselves when they are seriously sick or hurt.
According to the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, there are around 2,000 strandings each year worldwide, with most resulting in the death of the animal.
Beachings are rare enough that they are not a significant threat to any species. The beaching of a single, live animal is usually the result of sickness or injury.
Bad weather, old age, navigation errors, and hunting too close to shore also contribute to beachings.
