The baby hump back whale currently beached and dying in East Hampton is still alive after being discovered there on Tuesday morning. Newsday (subscription only) reports that one attempt was made to sedate and euthanize the whale already, and another is being made this afternoon—even though the Riverhead Foundation's Chuck Bowman had previously expressed concerns over the process being a dangerous one. A new type of sedative will be used today.
Above you'll see photos taken yesterday of workers attempting to lasso the whale to drag it further on to the shore, but the ropes slipped off before any movement was made. It was believed it would be easier to administer the sedative with the whale fully out of the water.
Those involved in the situation maintain that the animal cannot be saved, and Riverhead's Robert DiGiovanni explains: "People don't realize that there's a lot more thought and planning that goes on beyond the scenes. From the minute this animal hit the beach, there was a constant consulting with the top experts in the country. We're a team of experts working together, and we're always thinking about the best interests of the animal and everyone in the community."
