The public was being asked to avoid Torrance Beach Sunday, where lifeguards and wildlife specialists were securing a dead Fin whale for a necropsy after the animal was found inside the surf line Saturday and died before rescuers arrived.
Lifeguards discovered the whale around 6 p.m. Saturday near the beach between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove, according to a Los Angeles County Lifeguards post on X.
The Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro and the National Marine Fisheries Service responded to the scene and determined that the whale had died, lifeguards said.
“Due to its size & location it is expected that the whale will remain on the beach while responders create a plan to remove it,” the statement said. “If you are in the area please give the animal & responders plenty of space to work!”
On Sunday morning, Torrance officials announced that the beached whale was being secured for a necropsy and that a foul odor may be present. The public was advised to avoid the area for an unknown duration.
The MMCC told City News Service that a cause of death was not confirmed yet, but that the male whale looked very sick and had signs of a parasitic disease.
The animal was not fully grown according to the MMCC, and measured 51 feet. When they are full grown, Fin whales measure up to 70 feet.
MMCC officials said they would be taking samples and blood work to identify the cause of death, but that might take weeks or even months in part because Fin whales are a recovering endangered species in California.
The whale was believed to be in poor health due to visible bumps on his skin and a thin build, according to the MMCC.