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Stranded sperm whale dies after days of evacuation efforts
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Volunteers and officials from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry's fisheries officer and East Kalimantan Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in Balikpapan treat a stranded sperm whale at Teritip Beach in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan on Thursday (Sept. 26, 2024). They keep the whale wet by watering its exposed bodies and covering it with wet towels to keep it alive while standing in the shallow water. (JP/N. Adri)
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sperm whale which had reportedly been stranded since Monday at Teritip Beach, about 35 kilometers north of Balikpapan city in East Kalimantan, eventually died on Friday following days of evacuation efforts by local residents and officials.
As of Thursday afternoon, the giant sea mammal was still alive but in a very weak state, said Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry official Heri Seputro on Friday.
The whale was trapped in shallow coastal waters with a depth of less than two meters. Its body was only partially submerged, leaving its blowhole above the water.
“But when we came back to the site the following morning, the whale was no longer breathing,” Heri said.
He added that authorities had temporarily anchored the carcass to prevent it from being washed away by the waves while they coordinated the next step.
Read also: Sperm whale found stranded near Balikpapan
Usually, in such a situation, the carcass would undergo a necropsy to find out the exact cause of death.
Given its 40-tonne weight, it is likely that the procedure would be conducted on the beach. Following the necropsy, the carcass would then be pulled out to sea to be sunk.
A local resident named Janu could not contain his sadness and said that “perhaps this is the right time for Balikpapan to have a special unit to handle the stranded marine animal”.
According to official data, the sperm whale was the fourth giant sea mammal to be found stuck in Balikpapan waters, three of whom died after failed evacuation attempts.
Sea turtles and dolphins had also previously been found stranded near the area, some of which were able to return to the sea, while others were unable to survive.
Heri said Teritip Beach had low but wide tides, and during low tides the beach would extend a half km into the sea while during high tides the water would rise for only around 150 to 200 centimeters. (vny)
