Rare whale spotted in Emeryville humanely euthanized

EMERYVILLE, Calif. - A beached whale captured the attention of onlookers in Emeryville on Tuesday.

Juvenile minke whale

What we know:

The Marine Mammal Center said the whale spotted near the Emeryville Marina was likely a juvenile minke whale. While sightings of the species are rare in the Bay Area, they are not unprecedented.

The whale was first seen Monday around 2 p.m., partially emersed in mud in shallow water at low tide just off Emeryville, according to the center. It moved into deeper water at high tide around 4:30 p.m. that day.

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It remains unclear when the whale moved closer to the marina. Aerial footage captured Tuesday showed the whale floating close to the Emeryville shoreline.

Whale's condition declined

What they're saying:

Experts from the Marine Mammal Center were at the scene throughout the day Tuesday. In the late afternoon, they determined the whale needed to be euthanized due to its condition, followed by a necropsy to determine the cause of its failing health.

The whale was humanely euthanized around 5 p.m. 

What they're saying:

Researchers said a whale believed to be the same animal was seen swimming in the area on April 2. The exact age and sex of the whale remain unclear.

Initially, experts said the whale appeared to be in good body condition. It had peeling white skin, which they believed might indicate healing from a past trauma or skin condition. The area of concern appeared red during the earlier sighting.

"If confirmed to be a minke whale, this would be the fifth documented sighting in the past 16 years according to our researchers," the mammal center said.