A whale was found stranded along Seagate Beach in Naples on Friday.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said its marine mammal response team and other partners have responded, and the team will assess the whale's health and condition to determine the next course of action.
The whale's species has not been confirmed yet by officials.
According to FWC, whales can strand for a variety of reasons, but it's often because they are sick, injured, or disoriented. Also, in some situations, officials said that when an animal is suffering or has a poor prognosis for survival, trained and authorized professionals may determine that the most humane option is euthanasia.
FWC also stated that pushing marine mammals back out to sea can delay examination and treatment, and can often result in the animal re-stranding in worse condition.
Officials advised people who encounter a stranded or beached marine mammal to contact FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.
