A 25-ton humpback whale has died stranded on the coast of Tavernes de la Valldigna (Valencia) days after being sighted and untangled in Cala Millor, Mallorca.
The animal was located this Thursday in an “extremely weak state and with several cuts on the dorsal fin”, according to the Fundación Oceanogràfic.
After the discovery, the rescue team from the Fundación Oceanogràfic, through the Stranding Network of the Valencian Community, traveled to the area to assess the condition of the whale, but the cetacean was weak and "was unable to continue swimming ”.
The person in charge of Conservation of the Oceanographic Foundation, José Luis Crespo, has indicated that "given the serious condition and its size, the chances of rescue were nil."
"We would generate more injuries and complicate his condition and possibly appear again in the arena," he added.
Civil Guard, Local Police and technicians from the central administration have participated in the deployed operation.
Around five in the afternoon this Thursday, the Local Police of Tavernes de la Valldigna informed the Civil Guard of the sighting of the cetacean.
It was found that the animal had been stranded and was unable to move, as reported by the Civil Guard itself.
According to the same statement, the technicians of the Oceanographic of Valencia checked the state of the animal and chose to provide a euthanasia injection to avoid further suffering.
In addition, personnel from the Civil Guard and the Local Police of the municipality established a security perimeter for citizens until the transfer of the specimen.
The Fundación Oceanogràfic has indicated that the possibility of removing the animal, weighing 25 tons and approximately 12 meters in length, has been evaluated in order to carry out a necropsy and be able to find out the causes of its death.