Large whale spotted beached on sandbar off Florida coastline
Newsy
A sperm whale beached itself off the coast of Venice in Southwest Florida on Sunday as local authorities tried to assess the mammal's condition.
A whale beached itself off the coast of Venice on Sunday, leaving local authorities trying to assess the whale's condition and the next steps to take.
The Venice Police Department and Sarasota County Sheriff's Office units were assisting Mote Marine Laboratory staff with the beached whale about 50 yards out from Service Club Park, off the coast of Venice. The whale was identified as a sperm whale and was alive by early Sunday night.
It was situated on a sandbar and was estimated to be about 50 feet long and 50,000-70,000 pounds.
Venice Police Department
The Venice Police Department said in a post to social media, "water conditions are too dangerous to approach the sperm whale in distress ... by boat to attempt to give the animal a sedative."
