YORK, Maine — A minke whale has died after it was found washed ashore in York on Friday evening.
The whale found washed ashore on Long Sands Beach was removed overnight by members of Marine Mammals of Maine, a nonprofit devoted to helping marine mammals.
Marine Mammals of Maine said it has been conducting a full internal evaluation of the whale.
"So far, we have learned that this minke was a 25 foot long male who was in extremely poor nutritional condition, confirming that this animal stranded himself in poor health," the organization wrote in an update on Facebook. "The necropsy team is still working to complete the evaluation, and it may take an extensive amount of time for samples to be processed and more details to become available."
Police had asked the public to not approach beached whales.
"We understand that this is very upsetting to many of you, but if there is any good that comes of this situation, please help make it so that our community did the right things to help take care of this unfortunate situation," police said. "Do not approach the whale and give the MMoME personnel space to do what they need to do."
Passers-by sent photos and videos of the whale to NEWS CENTER Maine showing the animal at Long Sands Beach.
The York Police Department confirmed it had been contacted about the whale.
One witness told NEWS CENTER Maine people at the beach were trying to push the whale back out into deeper waters as the tide started coming in around 6:35 p.m.
Another witness, Gary Stevens, said police were observed trying to keep people back from the whale.
"I left when it got dark. The PD said they were waiting on people from Brunswick to see if they could save it. By the time I left it didn’t look very promising," Stevens said. "The parking on Long Sands looked like a hot summer night because of the whale. And the PD said they were told they needed to keep people back 150 feet."
Sky Archer, who said he was walking the beach before heading in to surf, shared with NEWS CENTER Maine his experience finding the whale washed ashore.
"I was walking the beach scanning the waves to see where I might want to head in with my surfboard. As I was scanning I noticed a large tail fin close to shore. I quickly realized it must be a beached whale. I threw my surfboard down on the sand and sprinted out to the beached whale and was the first one out to help it," Archer said.
"I observed from a few feet away that it was bleeding in multiple spots. I was initially cautious with it as I knew it might thrash if I startled it, so I splashed water on it to let it know I was there. It opened its eye to see me, and I approached the whale [and] put my hand on it to let it know I wanted to help," he recalled. "When I got to the whale it was horizontal with the beach being bashed by the waves and thought that if I could turn the whale to face the waves it might [have] a better chance to free itself."
Archer added close to 15 others approached to help move the whale, then received word marine patrol was on its way.
"I am upset to not have been able free the whale but extremely grateful that fellow surfers and pedestrians tried to help this whale," he said.