Rescued pilot whale declines unexpectedly
Just four whales remain of the pod of 22 that was found beached at Avalon State Park in Florida over the weekend. Experts hope the surviving whales will continue their recovery at SeaWorld Orlando.
In this photo provided by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, people attend to one of five rescued pilot whales Sunday at Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Institute in Fort Pierce, Fla. One of the five died unexpectedly on Monday.
AP Photo/SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
MIAMI
Another聽whale聽that was part of a pod of pilot聽whales聽stranded on a Florida beach has died.
The juvenile聽whale聽had been at Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Institute for rehabilitation since Saturday.
Harbor Branch official Steve McCullough says the male聽whale聽died around noon Monday after unexpectedly declining. Four other juvenile pilot聽whales聽brought to the FAU facility are being treated for infections.
The聽whales聽were part of a pod of 22 that stranded Saturday at Avalon State Park. The rest of the pod died of natural causes or had to be euthanized.
Experts hope to stabilize the four surviving聽whales聽so they can continue their rehabilitation at SeaWorld Orlando. Eventually, they could be released back into the ocean.