It could be “weeks or months” before the National Aquarium in Baltimore is able to complete its necropsy on the young sperm whale that died after being stranded on an Ocean City beach, a spokesperson says.
“[The Maryland Department of Natural Resources] has led a team in partnership with the National Aquarium to complete a full necropsy, an animal autopsy,” the spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday. “We are working hard to understand what made this whale sick, if it’s a risk to other animals or people, and what, if anything, can be done to protect other animals.”
“Unfortunately, in situations like this it is often very difficult to determine cause of death and results may be inconclusive.”
The young whale was found dead Sunday after a National Aquarium team was to Ocean City to assess the condition of the juvenile whale.
The small whale was reported stranded just before 7 a.m. outside the High Point South condominium complex.
