Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards Team Heads to Florida Keys to Volunteer and Assist with Animal Autopsy on Rare Whale Found Dead
Boca Raton, FL – A very rare whale was found struggling by the public in the shallow waters around Tavernier Key (part of the Florida Keys) on Sunday afternoon. Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder, the only non-profit responsible for the rescue of sick or injured whales and dolphins in the Florida Keys, responded immediately only to find the animal was already deceased.
Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards’ Veterinarian and Director of Wildlife Conservation Dr. Shelby Loos helped perform a necropsy (animal autopsy) on the rare whale in order to learn more about the species by taking measurements, samples, and hopefully find a cause of death. The whale was determined to be a Gervais’ beaked whale, a species that little is known about due to living far offshore, deep dives, and elusive nature. Like many other species of marine life, beaked whales face threats such as fishing gear entanglement and ocean noise pollution.
“On Sunday night I received a call from Art Cooper with Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder (DPMMR) requesting extra veterinary assistance during a necropsy (animal autopsy) of a Gervais’ beaked whale that stranded,” said Dr. Loos. “Because this is a unique circumstance, a thorough necropsy needed to be performed to obtain as much scientific data as possible regarding the species and potential cause of stranding. With it being such a large animal, a big team was needed to complete the necropsy, so members of the GLCS conservation team were able to provide additional assistance given their strong backgrounds in animal rescue and necropsy.”
- Kelly McCorry, Coastal Stewards Conservation Program Manager of Outreach, served the role of the scribe, writing down all of the descriptions and findings the veterinarians were relaying to her as they worked.
- Kara Portocarrero, Coastal Stewards Rehabilitation Coordinator, served as an extra set of hands to help move the animal around and with obtaining samples and measurements.
John Holloway, President and CEO of Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards, added: “With Dr. Shelby Loos joining our team this summer and leading a more dynamic wildlife conservation effort, the Coastal Stewards are proud to contribute to the critical work going on with the threatened Florida manatee and cetaceans that call our coastal environment home. We have a solid working dynamic with FWC and appreciate these opportunities to engage our passions. These times require an even more significant commitment to working collaboratively on many fronts to move the needle. Helping to meet the needs such as these and our sea turtle conservation work that has continued through the summer, the Coastal Stewards continue to meet the needs of the animals of our coastal and marine environment with a profound sense of stewardship.”
Full necropsy results and cause of death are still pending. The Coastal Stewards will continue to assist FWC and local stranding organizations when and where needed. It is important to remember, if you find a live animal that is beached, do not push it back into the water! Animals most commonly strand because they are weak and not strong enough to swim and breath on their own. If found, immediately call FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922) and they will direct you what to do while waiting for the local stranding organization to arrive.
Learn more about the Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards at www.gumbolimbo.org.
