50-foot sperm whale beached on sandbar off coast of Venice, Florida

Officials attempted to help a 50-foot beached whale off the coast of Venice Beach in Florida on Sunday. Officials initially estimated that the whale was about 70 feet long, but by Sunday night they estimated it to be 50 feet long and 50,000-70,000 pounds.

The City of Venice said the whale is located on a sandbar about 50 yards out from Service Club Park. Units with the Venice Police and Sarasota County Sheriff's are assisting Mote Marine Laboratory scientists with the whale, which was identified as a sperm whale.

Police have closed off the entrance to the park so scientists and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission could assess the whale's condition.

As of late Sunday, officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it was too rough to approach the whale to give it a sedative and their best option was to try again on Monday.

Whale slowly dying

According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, a part of the USA TODAY Network, by late morning, hundreds of spectators lined the shore to see the whale.

Gretchen Lovewell, Mote Marine Strandings Investigation Program Manager told the Herald-Tribune that the agency received a call about the whale being spotted on a sandbar about 150 yards from the beach at around 8:30 a.m.

The whale then moved to the closer sandbar. Lovewell said the whale which needs to remain in deep waters to survive is slowly dying. Officials said that as of Sunday night, the whale was still alive but had labored breathing.

Scientists from several agencies including Mote, FWC, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, University of Florida, and Sarasota Dolphin Project, are monitoring the whale’s breathing, the Herald-Tribune reported.