Stranded Minke Whale Euthanized in Emeryville

It appears whales are returning to the Bay in the lead-up to summer. Reader Craig Russell of SV Aquarius out of Emeryville wrote last week, “I was out sailing on Monday between Angel and Treasure in about 50 feet of water when I spotted a telltale blow of water from a whale. I saw his back only and then it was gone. I have not seen a whale in the Bay in several years, and I sail weekly. One thought: Should I have notified the CG to let them know about this large creature in the Bay?”

We hear the odd report of whale sightings on the Bay, often all too brief, leaving the watcher wondering if what they saw was real. Over the past week, however, the whale sighting was unmistakable — a minke whale had stranded itself in the shallows off Emeryville. As people watched the animal writhe on the sandy flats, crew from the Marine Mammal Center were debating whether to euthanize the distressed animal. The minke was first seen last week on Wednesday. It returned early this week and appeared to be stranded for 90 minutes before swimming away with the high tide. On Tuesday morning it was back.

Bill Keener of the Marine Mammal Center told NBC Bay Area, “The animal for some reason really wants to stay in shallow water. That’s not a good sign, but we’re just going to observe.” Firefighters used their hoses to try to keep the animal cool and protect its sunburned and peeling skin while experts debated their action. After much deliberation and the deteriorating condition of the whale, the decision was made to euthanize. “It’s not a decision that we take lightly,” said Marine Mammal Center’s Giancarlo Rulli.

The whale carcass will undergo a necropsy, an animal autopsy, to determine what led to the animal’s unusual behavior.

Early this month a dead gray whale was found floating near Alcatraz. This whale’s death is also under investigation, though it does not appear to have been caused by boat-strike. NBC Bay Area reported that several of the gray whales had recently been seen in the Bay, leading to the Marine Mammal Center’s warning to boaters to be careful, as despite their size, the large animals are sometimes difficult to spot.

This story may be distressing to some readers, as it was to us. We ask that everyone please be respectful with their comments. Most of us know nothing about these beautiful creatures and rely on people who have done the study and have the experience to make decisions on their welfare when required. Thank you in advance. Ed.