PO'IPU, Kaua'i — A sick killer whale was euthanized by federal wildlife officials at about noon today after it washed ashore early this morning at Brennecke's Beach.

The 18-foot-long female was very emaciated and had cookie-cutter shark bites and whale lice, all signs that it had been sick for some time, said Wende Goo, spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The animal was given two rounds of sedatives before it received a euthanasia shot about noon, Goo said. A Hawaiian cultural practitioner conducted rites for the animal before it was euthanized, she said.

Scientists will perform a necropsy to attempt to determine its cause of death. That procedure will be at an undisclosed location on Kaua'i, Goo said. Results of the necropsy probably will not be available today.

John Boulay, a manager at Brennecke's Beach Broiler, said he came to work at 6:30 a.m. and saw what he called "a 14-foot-long orca whale" washed up on the beach.

"It was all scratched up, from the coral," he said.

People were trying to push the animal back into the ocean, but it kept washing back, Boulay said.

Dwayne Akau said the animal still appeared alive when he was at the beach at 10 a.m. He said hundreds of people have gathered at the beach, including many state and federal wildlife officials, firefighters and lifeguards.

A portion of Ho'one Road was closed from 9:30 a.m. to noon for officials to deal with the whale, Kaua'i County spokeswoman Mary Daubert said.

Brennecke's Beach remains closed for the rest of the day as a precaution, Daubert said.

Ocean safety officials were monitoring the area for sharks, but had not reported any, she said.