According to a spokesperson for the California Wildlife Center, crews responded to reports of an adult Pygmy sperm whale found stranded in the Malibu Lagoon Sunday afternoon.
Photos posted on Twitter by the Los Angeles County Fire Department's lifeguard division showed crews rescuing the whale, which appeared to have sustained serious injuries.
[Marine Mammal Rescue] - At approximately 4:40 pm Lifeguards and @LACOFD responded to the Malibu Surfrider Beach for a report of a pygmy sperm whale stranded on the beach. Lifeguards and fire removed the whale off the shoreline and transferred care to California Wildlife Rescue. pic.twitter.com/D68VbIx4Ko
— LACoLifeguards (@LACoLifeguards) March 7, 2022
"The whale was in poor health and had sustained many injuries as a result of hitting against low tide rocks," said the California Wildlife Center in a statement. "Working with NOAA, we opted to humanely euthanize the animal in order to prevent additional suffering."
According to the NOAA, Pygmy sperm whales, like all marine mammals, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
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