Mote Marine treating beached whale
Jenna Rouse, left, and Deborah Fauquier, right, examine Dante, a beached melon-headed whale brought to Mote Marine Laboraboty on Oct. 24, 2011.
Staff Report
Sarasota Herald Tribune
Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 7:12 a.m.
A beached whale brought to Mote Marine's Dolphin and Whale Hospital is in critical condition.
Facts
About the whale
Species: Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra
Sex: Male
Length: 6.5 feet
Nickname: Dante
Where found: Melon-headed whales are typically found in deep, warm tropical waters. The U.S. has three recognizable stocks: Hawaii, the northern Gulf of Mexico and the western North Atlantic.
Population: Estimated to be about 3,450 in the Gulf. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there is not enough information about this species to determine whether that is trending up or down or staying the same.
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Source: Mote Marine Laboratory
Mote Marine responded to a call about the stranded melon-headed whale on Manasota Key on Sunday. Its veterinary staff is treating the marine mammal, which has been nicknamed Dante.
Mote is asking for financial support as it provides trauma care for the whale, which it estimates costs $4,500 per day.
Herb and Beth Silverstein of Sarasota and Ralph Valanzuolo, a visitor from Connecticut, spotted the whale while on the beach. Herb Silverstein called Mote on his cell phone.
Dante is a 6.5-foot-long male.
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