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View all search resultsMass stranding kills 21 protected pilot whales in East Nusa Tenggara
Yuvensius Stefanus Nonga, executive director of WALHI’s East Nusa Tenggara branch, said the incident is a serious warning about the increasing vulnerability of the region’s marine ecosystem.
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Rescuers inspect a pod of stranded whales on March 10, 2026, at Mbadokai Beach in Rote Ndao regency, East Nusa Tenggara. A total of 55 long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) were stranded on the beach, with nearly half of the animals later dying as rescuers struggled to return them to the sea.
(Courtesy of/Kupang office of the National Waters Conservation Agency (BKKPN))
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total of 55 long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) became stranded in the waters off Mbadokai Beach in Rote Ndao regency, East Nusa Tenggara, with nearly half of the animals later dying as rescuers struggled to return them to the sea.
Imam Fauzi, head of the Kupang office of the National Waters Conservation Agency (BKKPN), said local residents first spotted the whale pod in shallow waters of the beach in Southwest Rote district on Monday night.
“Residents attempted to guide the whales back to deeper waters, but the animals repeatedly swam toward the shore until they eventually became stranded,” he said on Tuesday as quoted by Kompas.id.
Several whales were also caught in fishing nets installed by local fishermen near the beach.
Imam said the stranding may have been caused by strong currents. He explained that pilot whales travel in tight groups and rely heavily on the leadership of a dominant individual.
“If the leader becomes stranded, the rest of the group may follow and end up beaching themselves as well,” he added.
Imam said local residents, along with police officers and personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI), worked throughout the night to slowly push the stranded whales back into deeper waters. However, rescuers struggled due to the animals’ heavy weight.
