A juvenile humpback whale stranded itself early Sunday morning near the Fauntleroy ferry dock, drawing scores of whale experts, volunteers and members of the public.

Although efforts were made to keep the young female whale wet and comfortable, it died at about 10:30 a.m. As the tide receded, more of the nearly 40-foot animal became visible on the beach. John Calambokidis, a research biologist at Cascadia Research Collective, was there that morning and participated in the necropsy that afternoon.

The whale had been in poor condition and was thin with multiple internal parasites and internal injuries related to the beaching, according to a statement about the incident Calambokidis posted on the organization’s Facebook page.

He indicated that researchers also found killer whale bite marks on the humpback’s jaw and that killer whales had been reported in the area the previous day.

More information may be learned from samples taken from the whale, which will be examined to determine if there were any additional conditions that contributed to the stranding, he added.

Following the necropsy, the whale was secured to the ferry dock and was expected to be sunk on Tuesday with the help of Washington State Ferries and Global Salvage.

Vashon Nature Center’s Bianca Perla went to the stranding, she said, and tried to arrange for a place for a necropsy on Vashon, though plans later changed.

Islander Tag Gornall was also there and participated in the necropsy. Gornall is a former marine biologist and marine mammal veterinarian. He noted that whale strandings often occur when a whale is in poor health.

“They come to the shore to get relief,” he said.