Editing Openai/691a2c65-8cbc-8011-a9e4-17f22e37f0e9 (section)

==== 2. Entanglement and hidden injuries ====

Reports mention this whale was tangled in rope or crab gear before or during the stranding.That Oregon Life<ref>{{cite web|title=That Oregon Life|url=https://thatoregonlife.com/2025/11/live-humpback-whale-stranded/|publisher=That Oregon Life|access-date=2025-11-17}}</ref> Even if someone managed to cut the visible lines off:
* The rope may have already cut deep into tissue around the tail, flippers, or mouth.
* Prolonged entanglement can cause infection, blood loss, and severe fatigue.
* The whale may have been weak or starving for days or weeks before it ever hit the beach.

Professionals will look for those signs—body condition, breathing pattern, responsiveness, wounds, etc.—and they know from past data how poor survival is for whales that look like this.NOAA Fisheries<ref>{{cite web|title=NOAA Fisheries|url=https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/marine-life-distress/frequent-questions-marine-mammal-euthanasia|publisher=NOAA Fisheries|access-date=2025-11-17}}</ref>