Whale found dead on Gwadar coast, cause of death unknown

GWADAR: The carcass of a 24-meter Bryde's whale was found dead off the western coast of Gwadar on Wednesday.

According to the Assistant Director Environment at Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Abdul Rahim said the whale was injured in several places and that they are investigating the cause of death.

However, according to initial analysis and evidence, it seems like the whale collided with a ship and was injured, he added.

Rahim added, the whale has been buried near the coast of Gwadar while its bones will be kept in a museum to create awareness.

 

The Bryde’s whale, scientifically known as Balaenoptera edeni, is among the three rorqual or baleen whales found in Pakistani waters. The other two are blue whale and Arabian humpback whale. There are a few records of the presence of Bryde’s whale in Pakistan which are mainly based on the beached carcasses.

In 2013, the carcass of a Bryde’s whale was found in Damb, Sonmiani. Two other specimens were caught in tuna gillnets in 2010 in Gwadar and 2014 in offshore waters near Ormara which died during disentanglement.

Earlier, this week an 8-meter sperm whale was found dead off Sardinia with 22 kilograms of plastic in its belly.