Some sad news via Kevin Deutsch and Joseph Mallia at Newsday: The whale that beached itself in the Breezy Point neighborhood of Queens in New York City earlier this morning won't be rescued.
Kim Durham, the marine biologist coordinating the rescue, told Newsday that the whale beached itself due to sickness.
"The whale is severely emaciated. It's in very bad shape. It's a very sick whale," she said.
The whale reportedly only weighs about half of what it should given its length, indicating how sick the animal is.
Durham is hoping high tide will take it out to deeper water, where nature can run its course.
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EARLIER: Quite the scene is developing in the Breezy Point neighborhood of Queens in New York City right now.
A 30-foot-long whale has washed up on the beach there, and first responders are attempting to stage a rescue:
Queens *Animal Rescue* Beach 216th Street & Palmer Drive. Division requesting ESU and Marine for the beached whale. twitter.com/FDNYIncidents/…
— FDNY Incidents (@FDNYIncidents) December 26, 2012
Below is another photo and some more details from twitter user @jillapallooza:
Point Breeze Volunteer Fire Department is pumping sea water on a 30 foot beached whale at Beach 216 St in Breezy Point. twitter.com/jillapallooza/…
— Jillsie (@jillapallooza) December 26, 2012
NBC New York just tweeted a similar photo:
PHOTO: Whale beached along Jamaica Bay in Breezy Point, Queens. bit.ly/12FqE2Dtwitter.com/NBCNewYork/sta…
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) December 26, 2012
And Point Breeze Fire Department just tweeted perhaps the most depressing photo of the scene:
PBFD assisting on scene of beached whale #breezypointtwitter.com/PointBreezeFD/…
— Point Breeze FD (@PointBreezeFD) December 26, 2012
Definitely not something New Yorkers are used to seeing wash up on the beach. However, some may remember the whale that almost beached itself on Rockaway Beach in April 2009.
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