Juvenile whale dies after washing up on Torrance Beach

TORRANCE, Calif. (KABC) -- A Fin whale roughly 35 to 40 feet in length was found inside the surf line near Torrance Beach, but the animal died before rescuers arrived.

Lifeguards discovered the whale around 6 p.m. Saturday inside the surf line near the beach between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove, according to a Los Angeles County Lifeguards post on X.

The Marine Mammal Care Center and National Marine Fisheries Service responded and the experts determined the whale had died, lifeguards said.

It's still unclear why it beached or what happened to it beforehand.

"Often, these guys succumb to either entanglements or ship strikes, but we don't see signs of that at this point in time - but we can't see half of the whale," said Tammy Da Costa Gomez, veterinarian and volunteer.

Gomez said the whale was a juvenile, and that Fin whales typically grow to be twice that size.

Officials remained on the beach Sunday as they tried to figure out how to move the massive mammal. Torrance officials announced that the beached whale was being secured for a necropsy and that a foul odor may be present. The public was advised to avoid the area for an unknown duration.

"Due to its size & location it is expected that the whale will remain on the beach while responders create a plan to remove it," the statement said. "If you are in the area please give the animal & responders plenty of space to work!"

City News Service contributed to this report.