"Emergency Decision: Fate of Beached Sperm Whale off Venice Coast Hangs in Balance"

A 50-foot, 50,000-70,000 pound sperm whale has beached itself off the coast of Venice, Florida, and is in critical condition. Efforts to euthanize the whale have been suspended due to dangerous conditions, and a multi-agency team is monitoring the situation. The whale, an endangered species, will undergo a necropsy to determine the cause of its illness, and samples will be collected for further study. Officials are urging people to avoid the area to allow for assessments, and it is likely to be a recovery effort as nature takes its course.