A young whale that washed up on Butler Beach last month died after swallowing a large plastic bag, according to St. Johns County officials.

In an Instagram post, St. Johns County Beach Services said a resident called a hotline on September 16 to report what they thought was a stranded baby dolphin. However, Florida Wildlife Commission staff and volunteers identified it as a dwarf sperm whale calf and took it to a veterinarian for evaluation.

A Tragic Discovery

Video from the beach showed the whale alive but struggling. It was thin, had small cuts from beaching, and was alone without its mother. Officials determined that the calf would not survive, and it was humanely euthanized.

A necropsy later revealed that the whale had a large plastic bag in its stomach, which had caused painful ulcers.

A Warning to Beachgoers

St. Johns County Beach Services reminded the public not to push stranded marine animals back into the ocean, as doing so can make things worse.

“It stranded for a reason,” the post stated.