A rarely seen whale has died in the Florida Keys, and biologists are investigating

Researchers focused on marine mammals are currently investigating the cause of death of an extremely rare whale discovered in the shallow waters of the Florida Keys.

A group of onlookers witnessed the whale’s struggle in two to three feet of water near Harry Harris Park in Tavernier around 4 p.m. on Sunday and notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The commission then reached out to Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder, a nonprofit specialized in whale strandings, who swiftly dispatched a team within half an hour.

Unfortunately, their efforts arrived too late.

The deceased whale, identified as a 14-foot-long adult male Gervais’ beaked whale, was examined by Art Cooper, a biologist and the founder of Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder.

The fish and wildlife officers transported the whale to a nearby marina, where it remained until it was taken to a U.S. Park Service station in Key Largo. Scientists proceeded to conduct a necropsy, similar to an autopsy, on Monday under tents set up on a boat ramp, surrounded by a canopy of trees.

The scientists first took measurements before proceeding to collect samples and inspect the body for any signs of injury or illness.

Cooper cautioned against drawing any immediate conclusions about the cause of death. However, there were no obvious indications suggesting human activity, such as a boat strike, was involved.

“I believe this is an older animal,” remarked Cooper. He based this assumption on the dark polka-dot-like markings covering the whale’s torso, which he explained were scars from cookie-cutter shark bites. These small sharks have round mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth, which leave circular wounds and often remove small pieces of flesh from their prey.

“It takes a long time to heal,” Cooper added. “If you look at this guy’s belly, he’s been around for a while.”

Gervais’ beaked whales are known to live between 27 and 48 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They predominantly inhabit deep waters and are rarely observed in the shallower waters surrounding the Florida Keys.

“Throughout my 33-year career, this is only the third beaked whale I’ve encountered,” Cooper revealed.

Despite initially suspecting the whale died of natural causes, National Marine Fisheries Service officials requested Cooper’s team, alongside FWC biologists, to conduct the necropsy. This decision was made due to the recent discovery of another pelagic whale, a sperm whale, that washed ashore dead in the vicinity of Marathon, approximately 40 miles off the Middle Keys.

Unfortunately, the predators had already reached the sperm whale carcass, resulting in its rapid decomposition, making it impossible for scientists to examine the animal.

Aside from the initial necropsy performed at the Park Service’s station, other parts of the whale will be tested by scientists elsewhere. The skull will undergo a CT scan at the National Marine Fisheries Service’s lab in Key Biscayne, while the remaining parts will be returned to the water, where they are expected to be consumed by bull sharks, a common species found in the shallows surrounding the Florida Keys.

“Since this animal was not euthanized,” Cooper explained, “we can recycle the carcass and utilize any parts that are not of scientific interest.”

2023 Miami Herald. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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