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Baby whale stranded on OBX beach disappeared overnight

A team of experts lost track of a baby Sei whale that washed up on shore at Kitty Hawk this week.

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KITTY HAWK, N.C. — A team of experts lost track of a baby Sei whale that washed up on shore at Kitty Hawk this week.
The OBX Marine Mammal Stranding Team with North Carolina Aquariums first discovered the whale on Thursday afternoon.
They determined the whale was likely still dependent on its mother. Because of the whale's age and poor condition, a permitting agency recommended humane euthansia. The group administered the drugs and thought that the young whale had died, but they were wrong.

They said large animals, like the 22-foot-long baby whale, sometimes require a larger dose of drugs. They called in a larger regional team to bring in special equipment to help out.

The process lasted into the night, and the team had to leave the beach when the sun went down to keep staff and volunteers safe.

When the team returned on Friday morning, the whale was gone. Teams searched up and down the beach on Friday morning but could not find the baby whale. The group said the whale likely died and washed out to sea but may wash up on an Outer Banks beach in the next few days.

If you spot the whale, dead or alive, North Carolina Aquariums asks that you call local experts. The number for the Outer Banks is 252-455-9654.

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