OCEAN CITY, Md.- A juvenile sperm whale has died after being stranded on Ocean City beach.
The Ocean City Police Department says it was around 6:45 a.m. Sunday morning when the whale was first reported stranded along the shoreline.
According to a release provided by the National Aquarium, OCPD reported large groups of citizens monitoring the whale and in some instances trying to push it away from the beach.
But to increase the safety of the whale and people, OCPD successfully blocked off access to the whale until National Aquarium veterinarians arrived.
Though tests were conducted upon the arrival of National Aquarium veterinarians at around 1 p.m., it was determined the juvenile sperm whale was dead.
According to their release, "Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will now take lead, in cooperation with the Ocean City Police Department, in safely removing the animal from the beach. DNR will lead a team in performing a necropsy, an animal autopsy, to attempt to learn more about this animal and why it stranded."
People who saw the whale stranded earlier this morning said many people sprung into action trying to provide the whale aid.
Nancy Polansky, who lives in a condo across from the beach, said, "Somebody brought a bucket, like a big construction paint bucket and they were dumping water on it."
But as the hours passed, the whale got weaker and weaker.
"Earlier this morning it just seemed the fins were moving back and forth and this morning you could really see it was trying to get up straight," Joan Borghese said.
No official cause of death has been determined, but the National Aquarium says the whale was underweight.
The National Aquarium urges that "Whenever you see an animal like this in distress, the best thing you can do is give it space and immediately contact a trained wildlife first responder. NOAA's number is 866-755-6622, NA stranding hotline is 4109862386 or MDNR Police 1-800-628-9944. Our teams are on call 24/7 to respond to these events."