Young whale off the coast of La Jolla may not survive

A juvenile humpback whale, injured and swimming slowly off the coast of La Jolla, is being monitored closely by multiple agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and San Diego lifeguards.

“There is a lot of concern that the whale is not doing well,” said lifeguard Lt. John Sandmeyer. “The concern is that it’s having trouble diving.”

The whale has large lacerations on its back and flukes, Sandmeyer said.

San Diego city lifeguards became aware of the whale earlier in the weekend, learning it been entangled in ropes and buoys. At the time, the animal was near Bird Rock in La Jolla and not moving well.

On Monday afternoon, the young humpback whale, measuring 20 to 25 feet long, was swimming slowly about half a mile offshore of the Children’s Pool.

A team of researchers from SeaWorld, authorized by NOAA Fisheries, evaluated the whale from a distance, using poles and cameras. They determined the mammal, likely a few years old and suffering from severe wounds from being entangled, was in poor condition.

Members of the public had removed the lines entangling the whale prior to the team’s evaluation.

“There is potential the animal will not survive,” said Justin Viezbicke, the California stranded network coordinator for NOAA Fisheries. “There’s not much we can do.”

Lifeguards alerted the Coast Guard to the whale’s whereabouts, and the agency issued a navigation hazard warning boaters to stay away.

jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com

Van Grove writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune