Whale euthanized after washing up on Kauai

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Whale euthanized after washing up on Kauai

October 23rd, 2008 · 1 Comment

18-foot-long female orca had cookie-cutter shark bites, whale lice

A sick killer whale was euthanized by federal wildlife officials at about noon yesterday after it washed ashore early in the morning at Brennecke’s Beach.

The 18-foot-long female was emaciated and had cookie-cutter shark bites and whale lice, all signs that it had been sick for some time, said Wende Goo, spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The animal was given two rounds of sedatives before it received a euthanasia shot at about noon, Goo said. A Hawaiian cultural practitioner conducted rites for the animal before it was euthanized, she said.

Scientists will perform a necropsy to attempt to determine its cause of death. That procedure will be done at an undisclosed location on Kaua’i, Goo said.

Killer, or orca, whales are the most common marine mammal in the world, living from the poles to the equator, said Jayne LeFors, a NOAA biologist.

The whale found beached on Kaua’i is believed to be a member of a group of about 250 killer whales that inhabit Hawai’i waters year-round.

It is uncommon to see them near shore, unless there is a problem.