KEY LARGO (CBS4)- A pilot whale that stranded off the Florida Keys is likely to remain in captivity.
The whale was among seven brought to the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo after surviving a stranding May 5 off Cudjoe Key. Officials said it’s swimming freely in its enclosure but it’s too immature to survive in the open ocean.
A decision by the National Marine Fisheries Services about where to transfer the whale is pending.
Slideshow: Pilot Whales Moved To Key Largo
A second whale from the stranding has tested positive for a hard-to-treat staph infection. It’s unclear if the whale picked up the infection from the shallow Florida Bay or from volunteers who have been holding it up around the clock at the facility.
Most of the 21 whales that stranded died. Two were released into the wild.
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