Current:Home > InvestCalifornia beach closed after 'aggressive shark activity'; whale washes up with bite marks-InfoLens
California beach closed after 'aggressive shark activity'; whale washes up with bite marks
View Date:2024-12-23 16:19:42
A beachfront community in Orange County, California was shut down after beachgoers witnessed "aggressive shark activity" and an injured whale in the area.
Huntington Beach officials shut down Sunset Beach shoreline and ocean on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. for 48 hours after lifeguards spotted a beached juvenile whale with bite marks, said a news release.
Officials said that upon inquiring, beachgoers in the area reported seeing "splashing & aggressive shark activity prior to the whale washing ashore."
"As is the city's policy when aggressive shark behavior is witnessed, the shoreline & ocean will be closed for 1 mile in each direction of the incident," said city officials in a statement. "The closure will remain in place for the next 48 hours."
Experts at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) determined the whale's injuries were too substantial and the animal was euthanized, a spokesperson for the city told USA TODAY.
Australia:Officials search for missing man, suspected victim of fatal great white shark attack
Rare ‘virgin birth':Baby shark asexually reproduced at Brookfield Zoo, second in the US
How to help a distressed or stranded animal
If you encounter a marine mammal that is sick, injured, malnourished, entangled, deceased or oiled, the PMMC recommends the following:
- Contact authorities immediately
- Keep your distance from the animal in order to give the animal the best chance of survival.
- Do not pour water on the animal. Federal law prohibits touching, feeding, harassing, removing or returning a beached mammal to the water.
- Monitor from a safe distance and make necessary observations. Politely keep other people away from the animal.
'Rare and precious':Watch endangered emperor penguin hatch at SeaWorld San Diego
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (15184)
Related
- New Jersey will issue a drought warning after driest October ever and as wildfires rage
- Tate Modern's terrace is a nuisance for wealthy neighbors, top U.K. court rules
- See all the red carpet looks from the 2023 Oscars
- Don't put 'The Consultant' in the parking lot
- Jana Kramer’s Ex Mike Caussin Shares Resentment Over Her Child Support Payments
- Why 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' feels more like reality than movie magic
- 'Wait Wait' for Feb. 4, 2023: With Not My Job guest Billy Porter
- All-Star catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster Tim McCarver dies at 81
- Hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field can be fixed for about $55M in time for 2026 season, per report
- How to watch the Oscars on Sunday night
Ranking
- Threat closes Spokane City Hall and cancels council meeting in Washington state
- Curls and courage with Michaela Angela Davis and Rep. Cori Bush
- See all the red carpet looks from the 2023 Oscars
- Kelela's guide for breaking up with men
- Hurricane-stricken Tampa Bay Rays to play 2025 season at Yankees’ spring training field in Tampa
- A collection of rare centuries-old jewelry returns to Cambodia
- A full guide to the sexual misconduct allegations against YouTuber Andrew Callaghan
- Bret Easton Ellis' first novel in more than a decade, 'The Shards,' is worth the wait
Recommendation
-
Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn's iconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought
-
'Hot Dog' wins Caldecott, Newbery is awarded to 'Freewater'
-
Take your date to the grocery store
-
'All American' showrunner is a rarity in Hollywood: A Black woman in charge
-
Sam LaPorta injury update: Lions TE injures shoulder, 'might miss' Week 11
-
What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend listening and viewing
-
'Emily' imagines Brontë before 'Wuthering Heights'
-
How Stokely Carmichael and the Black Panthers changed the civil rights movement