A blue whale measuring approx. 35 meters long, was found dead in a remote area Gwatar Bay between Pakistan and Iran on Monday.
A local fisherman, Ahmad Baloch, who fished in the area, reported the incident of a dead whale flowing near Kuntani, Balochistan.
It is likely that the whale may have died a few days left in the open seawater between Pakistan and Iran, and it drove against Gwater Bay under the influence of a hard sea and strong streams, according to declaration issued by WWF-Pakistan.
Although the cause of the death has not been found so far, it seems that the animal may have been tangled in Gillnet used to catch fish in coastal and offshore waters in the area.
Blue Whale, scientifically called Balaenoptera Musculus, is one of three Baleen whales reported from Pakistani waters.
The other two whales are broken whale and the Arabic humpback whale.
There are four subspecies of blue whales, two of which include Pygmy Blue Whale (Balaenoptera Musculus Brevicuda) and the Indian Ocean Blue Whale (Balaenoptera Musculus Indica) found in northern Indian Ocean.
Considering its small size, this dead blue whale seen on the vintani can be a pygmy blue whale.
Muhammad Moazzam Khan, technical adviser, WWF-Pakistan, expressed concern about the mortality of Blue Whale and called the sad news of the conservation community worldwide.
He shared that the blue whale is known to be distributed in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean.
Khan emphasized that this whale is categorized as an endangered species, and urgent steps are required for its preservation.
Now all whales, including whales and dolphins, are protected under the legislation of wild animals and fishing in Sindh and Balochistan.
He also emphasized to adopt federal legislation on the protection of whales, including whales, in the exclusive economic zone of Pakistan.
There are many records of the occurrence of blue whales in Pakistan; The last blue whale was discovered by Gaddani, Balochistan, April 8, 2024.
Blue whales are the largest animal ever known to have existed. Blue whales can reach up to 33 meters in length and weigh up to 190 tonnes.
– With additional input from app
