Speak Up: Tests performed on dead whale that beached itself north of Indian River Inlet

While pathology reports are weeks away regarding a young male fin whale that beached itself May 5, a marine expert said she suspects the animal was suffering from an illness that may have been transmissible to humans.

• It hadn’t eaten for two years. The government will determine it was struck by a boat, a fishing fleet boat or a recreational angler, no doubt. — Dave Robinson
• Ocean pollution. — Melissa Auffinger
• People making jokes about this are seriously tone deaf. It’s very concerning, especially when this has happened numerous times. People only care when it affects them personally, which I’m sure it will at some point. — Britney Nichole
• I’m sure it was related to that nice oil spill we had. — Brandi Danielle
• I thought the reason for the Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute not getting in the water with the whale was because the ocean was too rough. Now, they are saying because of a possible disease that could transfer to humans. — Shaun Smith
• So sad. May he rest in peace. — Janine Garland
• Probably something it ate. Who knows what goes in our oceans? — Deb DeFazio
• All the pollution in the waters in the world. Thanks, humanity, for destroying the entire world. — Kim Dedrick Bell
• It’s wind farms in the ocean. The seismic surveys have damaged the whales’ ability to use their senses and sonar. — George Rooker