East Moriches, NY – Ailing Humpback Whale Stuck In New York Bay Is Euthanized

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    In this Nov. 20, 2016 photo, a humpback whale pops up in the waters between 48th Street and 60th Street as seen from New York City, with New Jersey visible in the background. For nearly a week, a humpback whale has been cavorting in the Hudson River just off the wharves of Manhattan. Sightings have been reported from the Statue of Liberty to well north of the George Washington Bridge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)East Moriches, NY – An ailing humpback whale that became grounded on a sandbar in a bay was euthanized on Wednesday, three days after rescuers first tried to set it free.

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    The death of the whale, which weighed between 15 and 20 tons and was about 33 feet long, angered some environmentalists and locals who had watched the rescue effort. One state senator called for a hearing into the failed rescue.

    Officials with the Riverhead Foundation of Marine Research and Preservation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration insisted the best chance for the whale’s escape was hoping a high tide would allow it to free itself, but that never occurred.

    They suggested it was likely the whale may have been ailing and that was the reason it became stranded in Moriches Bay, on eastern Long Island. The shallow bay has rarely been the site of whale visits.

    Craig Harms, a professor of Aquatic Animal Medicine at the North Carolina State College of Aquatic Veterinary Medicine, who observed the whale on Wednesday, said attempts to haul the whale off the sandbar would have caused it further injury.

    He and others assessed the whale’s condition and found it was thin, limp, weak and minimally responsive. They said it also had neurological abnormalities and possible infections. They sedated it and then euthanized it with injectable medications.

    A necropsy is planned after officials remove the whale from the bay.

    Humpback whales are common in the region. One recently has been seen swimming in the Hudson River.

    Environmentalists said a stranded-whale scenario can happen again and when it does rescuers need to be ready for it.

    “I’m not only sad, I’m angry,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “Doing nothing is not an option. We are better than that.”

    Deborah Fauquier, of the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources, said she would welcome discussions on improving the rescue response.


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    7 years ago

    These animal rights groups are the same ones who were against the killing of the Canadian Geese; the latter foul bird were the same ones which brought down US Air Flt. 1549, in the Hudson River.

    honestbroker
    honestbroker
    7 years ago

    # Whale lives matter

    Liepa
    Liepa
    7 years ago

    I’m sure that this Adrienne Esposito gets all bent out of shape too when humans are dying all over the globe for no valid reason when their deaths could have, should have been prevented, or is she only upset when it involves whales, this naar !!!