A young whale washed up between 24th and 25th Street at the oceanfront, attracting hundreds of onlookers on the morning of March 3, 2024.

The whale was pulled away from the shore break by the Virginia Aquarium’s Stranding Response Team, a largely volunteer-based group.

A necropsy will be performed by the team to assess the whale and determine a cause of death. Until then, everyone is prohibited from touching the animal, as all whales are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Action.

Last year, an endangered right whale was found dead under similar circumstances at the oceanfront, and it was later determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to have been killed by catastrophic blunt-force trauma, which was likely caused by a large boat.

“We should work around the whales, not invade their territory,” said junior Afsana Rawlins. “It’s their ocean too.”