10-Foot Gervais’ Beaked Whale Washed Up on North Carolina Beach, Died After Ingesting Party Balloon

Another whale got stranded on a beach in North Carolina. The giant mammal was believed to have died after ingesting a party balloon.

Beaked Whaled Washed Ashore on North Carolina Beach

On Oct. 30, a Gervais' beaked whale was seen at Emerald Isle Beach's shallows, according to a statement from the NC Marine Mammal Stranding Network. The group determined that the animal was a 10-foot-9-inch female calf. But by the time they got to the scene, the whale had already passed away.

The whale was successfully pulled out of the surf and transported to the North Carolina State University Center for Marine Science and Technology with help from beachgoers, Emerald Isle Public Works, and the local police department. They conducted a necropsy, and the experts didn't find anything unusual until they cut her stomach open and discovered a pentagon plastic balloon.

They also learned the whale had some milk, suggesting it was nursing a calf. The plastic balloon was crumpled and reportedly obstructed the digestive passage to the rest of the gastrointestinal tract.

According to the Center for Marine Scientists and Technology (CMAST), over 125 marine creatures wash up on NC beaches yearly, including seals, manatees, whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Animals wash up on beaches for a variety of causes.

Among these are natural causes, including malignancies, parasites, infectious illnesses, and hunger. Human interactions include being entangled in fishing gear (both active and ghost) and being struck by ships and boats. Unfortunately, the beaked whale reportedly died due to plastic ingestion.

If swallowed, helium balloons can obstruct an animal's digestive or respiratory tract, leading to asphyxia or hunger. These balloons can fly hundreds, perhaps thousands, of miles before landing in woods, oceans, and other natural places.

Several netizens reacted to the whale's death, with many expressing their disappointment and anger over the use and release of balloons. Jodi Burton discouraged others from quitting releasing balloons because they don't go to heaven but land in fields and water sources where wildlife chokes to death.

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What Is Gervais' Beaked Whale

The Ziphiidae family of beaked whales includes the little-known Gervais' beaked whales. This species, sometimes called the "Antillean" or the "Gulf Stream beaked whale," is seen sporadically in colder temperate areas but is more commonly found in the Atlantic Ocean's deep tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters.

The number of Gervais' beaked whales in the globe is unknown, even though they might be the Mesoplodon genus species most frequently seen off the coast of the United States. The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast. Additionally, they are the most frequent Mesoplodon species to strand on the southeast Atlantic coast of the United States. Discerning various species in the field can be difficult since the beaked whale family members are reticent and cryptic.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act protects Gervais' beaked whales, as it does for all other marine animals. Human-caused noise and becoming entangled in fishing gear are hazards to them. The International Union for Conservation of Nature's list of vulnerable species classifies Gervais beaked whales as "data deficient," indicating insufficient data to determine the population status of these whales.

In its stock assessment reports, NOAA Fisheries calculates the population size of each Gervais' beaked whale stock. A stock is a collection of animals that live together and breed together. There is not enough information for this species to determine population trends.