A second dwarf sperm whale, Kogia simus, has stranded on a Pinellas county beach and is receiving care at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The large whale beached itself near Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs late Saturday morning; although the whale is a mature female, there is no known link between this stranding and that of a baby dwarf sperm whale which stranded on St. Petersburg Beach Wednesday and died late Thursday.
This whale is nine feet long and weighs 320 pounds. Observers to the stranding said the animal was in obvious distress, thrashing far up onto the sand. Other than superficial scratches incurred in the beaching, there were no signs of injury or illness. A darkish liquid, probably "ink," was exuded from the underside of the animal.
Stranded animals have an extremely poor chance of survival. Clearwater Marine Aquarium staff and volunteers are maintaining a 24-hour watch on the whale and providing immedtiate critical care.