JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A whale mom and her calf were found dead on the beach near Hanna Park on Wednesday morning, according to the Florida Wildlife Commission.
The FWC said it received a call on its Wildlife Alert Hotline regarding two dead dolphins on the beach. However, the FWC said they were actually Gervais’ beaked whales.
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According to NOAA Fisheries, Gervais’ beaked whales are little known members of the beaked whale family, Ziphiidae. Sometimes called the “Antillean” or “Gulf Stream beaked whale,” this species prefers deep tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean but is occasionally found in colder temperate seas.
Hanna Park staff, FWC and the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens responded to the scene.
The FWC said the mom was about 14 feet long and the female calf was about 7 feet.
Necropsies were conducted on the whales to determine the cause of death, but the FWC said it could be a couple of months before they get answers.
If you see a dead or injured animal, please call FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.