YACHATS Ore. (KPTV) - Officials are attempting to rescue a beached humpback whale on the Oregon Coast, and ask the public to stay away from the scene during the recovery effort.

According to Oregon State Parks, the whale was found beached in San Marine, just outside of Yachats.

Carrie Newell, a marine biologist with Whale Research EcoExcursions out of Depoe Bay, provided insight on the situation in a statement that reads in part:

“The humpback is a wild animal and please, under no circumstances, approach the whale. Not only is this endangering your life, but it is also causing stress to the animal. Whales were designed to live in the water, and a beached whale therefore is not buoyed up by the water so the internal organs are being compressed which is causing additional complications. T

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