Final whale stranded off FL Keys heads to SeaWorld

KEY LARGO, Fla. (AP) - The final whale that was stranded off the Florida Keys in May is being transported to Orlando.

The 1,100-pound, 12-foot-long female pilot whale calf was placed in a water-filled transport unit Sunday night for the nearly 300-mile trip from the Marine Mammal Conservancy in the Keys to SeaWorld. It's expected to arrive Monday morning.

Marine mammal experts and a veterinarian are accompanying the whale.

The whale is entering the rehabilitation facility because her injuries are too severe to withstand the rigors of the wild.

The whale was one of the nearly two-dozen that stranded near Cudjoe Key on May 5. Most died, but several were rehabilitated and two were released back into the wild.

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Online:

Marine Mammal Conservancy: http://www.marinemammalconservancy.com

SeaWorld Orlando: http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando