Killer Whale Beaches Itself, Dies On Florida Coast In ‘Extremely Rare’ Occurrence

A killer whale beached itself and died on a Florida beach Wednesday morning, an event that researchers say they’ve never encountered in the Southeastern United States. 

Locals and tourists in Palm Coast, Florida (30 miles north of Daytona Beach), were able to view a huge 21-foot female orca as it was being smashed into by waves. The orca, also known by the killer whale, can be seen in Palm Coast, Florida. “ocean’s top predator,” According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA). 

“This is extremely rare,” NOAA’s Blaire Mase Add “We’ve never had a record of a stranded killer whale in Florida or the Southeast United States.”

A man was on a morning stroll along the beach when he spotted the orca. Estimate It weighed in at three-and a half tons. He believed the animal was alive, but it was still in darkness outside. So he called Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). WESH 2 reports. 

“We saw something large in the water. It was about 25 feet off the shore,” The man spoke to the outlet. The white color on the underside of the animal was a sign it was an orca. He sent a photograph to a biologist, who confirmed his suspicions. 

Authorities were called to the scene to try to save the orca. But they couldn’t reach it. The Flagler County Sheriff’s office shared that SeaWorld and the FWC would perform a necropsy, an autopsy for animals, on the large marine mammal. Flagler Sheriff shares video and photographs showing the orca lying in the water with waves breaking against it. Because of the huge crowds of people who wanted to capture the rare sight, they advised everyone to stay clear of the area. 

After a 21-foot whale that washed up on the beach, officials from Jungle Hut Park in Palm Coast called for help. Since then, it has lost its life. @SeaWorld And @MyFWC They are also helping with the necropsy of the animal and its removal. This area should be avoided at all costs.https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlaglerCounty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#FlaglerCounty #FCSO pic.twitter.com/HcDx0ns225

— FlaglerSheriff (@FlaglerSheriff) January 11, 2023

It was quite difficult to get the orca off the shore. This required dozens of people, a bulldozer, compact loaders and a lot of work. ABC News. A Twitter video shared by the killer whale shows it arriving at SeaWorld Orlando in a trailer while its tail is hanging loose. 

It looks like the orca that beached in Flagler County has arrived at SeaWorld in Orlando ⁦⁦⁦ pic.twitter.com/ZcgfB9bSTs

— Hayley Crombleholme (@HayleyHolme) January 11, 2023

Researchers have not been able to identify what may have caused the orca beach to itself. Signs It could be a shark attack, or a collision of a boat with it. However, an official from NOAA said that it showed. “signs of various illnesses” According to Daytona Beach News Journal. According to the outlet the Smithsonian Institution might one day display the skeleton from the orca, 

The Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida states that whales, and other animals, often end up on the beach due to injury, sickness, bad weather, navigational problems, or hunting too close. Orcas “very rarely become beached unintentionally,” The group notes. 

According to NOAA, the killer whales can often be found in any ocean around the globe. They are the largest dolphin family member with over 50,000. While they are most common in Antarctica, Norway, and Alaska, the majority of killer whales can be found in warmer waters.