Pygmy sperm whale washes ashore in Delray, is euthanized

A pygmy sperm whale washed ashore on Delray Beach’s public shore Saturday afternoon in distress and was later euthanized, according to a state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman.

People on the beach tried to put the whale back in the water, but it beached itself again 45 minutes later just south of George Bush Boulevard, said Carol Lyn Parrish, spokeswoman for the the conservation commission.

The whale’s carcass was taken for a necropsy to determine its cause of death, Parrish said.

Pygmy sperm whales, which are a federally protected species, typically grow to about 11 feet long and weigh about 700 to 1,000 pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Anyone who sees injured marine mammals is asked to contact the conservation commission at 888-404-3922 as soon as possible. Trying to put a beached whale back in the water is not recommended, Parrish said.

ageggis@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6624 or @AnneBoca