Biologists euthanize sperm whale in Mobile Bay deemed too sick to survive
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Mobile, AL (WALA) — Biologists said the sperm whale spotted in Mobile Bay for nearly a week was euthanized Wednesday morning.
Dr. Ruth Carmichael with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Marine Mammal Research Program said the whale was just too sick to survive.
“The euthanasia was deemed the best option for this animal who was suffering and unable to swim and survive any longer in the wild,” said Dr. Carmichael.
Boaters first spotted the 36-foot long sperm whale in the bay on Thursday. Researchers with the sea lab said it was the first time a sperm whale had been seen in Alabama.
A necropsy will be performed to find out what caused the whale to venture into the shallow waters of Mobile Bay.
“It’s a deep water species, so whatever it is that affected it there is a chance that it could be affecting other animals that are out that might wash up in other locations,” said Dr. Carmichael.
The necropsy should be completed by Thursday, but it could take weeks before researchers get test results back to determine what was wrong with the whale.
Carmichael said the whale weighs about 30,000 pounds and is either a fully grown female, or a young adult male.
Biologists estimate there is a population of 1,000 sperm whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
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