Stranded whale euthanized after failed rescue attempt off Oregon coast | Oregon
A humpback whale stranded off the coast of Oregon was euthanized Monday after a failed rescue attempt by several agencies and organizations.
On Saturday, the young whale was found washed ashore near San Marine state park. KOMO News reported. Over the weekend, individuals came together to help the mammal, which appeared to have been caught in a fishing net but was unsuccessful.
Oregon state police arrived to clear the area at 10 a.m. Sunday, and a rescue mission was launched Monday morning.
Lisa Ballance of Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute said rescuers attempted to wrap a bridle around the whale and tie it to a boat at sea in an attempt to turn it toward the ocean, according to OPB.
However, when the water rose, the rope broke and the bridle slipped off the whale. Ballance told KATU He noted that the situation was changing “rapidly” and noted how complex it was to move such a large animal, especially with the risk of injury. He added that a full-scale rescue effort was not possible due to limited available resources.
When an attempt to divert the whale and pull it back into the sea failed, a veterinarian recommended euthanizing the whale.
“This is a very sad and tragic situation,” Ballance said. “There’s no way to spin this in a positive way. I know the public is heartbroken… It’s hard to watch, it’s hard to experience.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an organization responsible for managing the country’s ocean resources and their habitats, is expected to make a statement on the issue later on Tuesday.
