LONG BEACH, N.Y. (AP) — An ailing northern bottlenose whale has been euthanized after becoming stranded in suburban New York.
A spokeswoman with the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation says the female whale was examined and found to be ailing in the waters off Long Beach, on Long Island. It was euthanized on Wednesday morning following an examination.
The whale sighting was first reported on Tuesday night.
A staff biologist says the female was estimated to be 14 feet in length. The northern bottlenose whales can reach lengths of approximately 32 feet as adults, and weigh up to 17,000 pounds.
A necropsy will help determine the cause of death. Riverhead spokeswoman Rachel Bosworth says its demise could be from a variety of factors, including illness, ingestion of marine debris, or a ship strike.