A mother whale and her calf have died after beaching themselves on Hollywood beach on Monday afternoon.
The mother whale likely died of exhaustion after toiling in the baking South Florida sun for hours while frantic beach goers tried their best to keep the animals moist and wet in the shallows. The baby was euthanized after vets determined they couldn't save it. Beaked whales do not survive in capativity and calves rarely make it without their mothers, a vet said.
A mother beaked whale and her baby first appeared early in the afternoon in shallow water near Miami, a rare sight and one that is extremely dangerous for the animals. Pygmy whales look a lot like over-sized dolphins and it appears the baby whale was simply following mommy around.
But contrary to Miamians’ reputation of apathy toward anything that can’t get them V.I.P. access, dozens of beach goers dropped their suntan lotion and rushed to try and steer the wayward mammals back out to open water. Those who didn't help couldn't pass up the opportunity for a Facebook status update or a Twitter post as camera phones and digital cameras captured the National Geographic moment.
Undeterred by the attention, the whales eventually landed on Hollywood beach. People covered the sea mammals with wet towels and tried to block them from the 90-plus degree heat and the blazing sunlight.
Vanessa Lane of the Miami-based Marine Animal Rescue Society said whales beach themselves for a variety of reasons, including climate conditions and parasites.
