PALM COAST, Fla. (AP) — A 21-foot (6.4-meter) killer whale died after beaching itself on the Atlantic coast in central Florida Wednesday, authorities said.
The orca landed on a beach in Palm Coast, Florida, located more than 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of Jacksonville, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Story continues below:
- Crime: Cold case rapes connected to New Mexico music teacher
- Albuquerque: Albuquerque coffee spot named among 25 ‘best in the U.S.’
- Environment: Popular New Mexico campground won’t open for the 2023 season
- Cannabis: New Mexico starts the year with strong recreational cannabis sales
Crews from the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the sheriff’s office were on hand to help remove the carcass so that a necropsy can be performed, Messod Bendayan, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said in an email.
Video posted by the sheriff’s office showed the orca laying on its side as waves splashed against it.
Orcas are among the largest and most powerful marine mammals in the ocean.
