Decomposing whale carcass found in Phetchaburi, Thailand
A distressing discovery greeted the crew members of a fishing boat off the coast of Cha-am Beach in the Cha-am district of Phetchaburi. While navigating the waters, they happened upon the lifeless body of a Bryde’s whale, a sombre encounter that prompted immediate action.
Responding to the call, a team comprising marine experts, and disaster prevention and mitigation officials, led by Chokchai Athikpali, the director of the Phetchaburi Marine Resources Conservation Centre, swiftly assembled at the site.
The unfortunate Bryde’s whale, a marine giant estimated to be five years old and measuring between 10 and 13 metres in length, had succumbed to the perils of the sea.
Initial estimates suggested that the whale had been lifeless for a minimum of ten days before its discovery, and the advanced state of decomposition exuded a pungent and unpleasant odour that hung in the air.
In response, the carcass was carefully transported to Cha-am beach, where a team of dedicated veterinarians could conduct a thorough examination in an earnest quest to uncover the cause of its untimely demise, reported Bangkok Post.
Athikpali took this solemn occasion as an opportunity to urge local fishermen to remain vigilant and to promptly report any sightings of ailing or deceased rare marine creatures to the Phetchaburi Marine Resources Conservation Centre.
He emphasized the importance of dialling the emergency number 1362, a 24-hour hotline, to facilitate rapid response and necessary interventions in similar situations, underlining the critical role that the community plays in safeguarding these majestic creatures of the deep.
In related news, the incredibly rare sight of a humpback whale was spotted off the coast of Phuket. Charoen Chanaphon, a tour boat operator, reported the unusual encounter.
Sailing from Phuket towards Phi Phi island on Thursday, August 24, at around 11.45am, he noticed the majestic mammal. The tour boat operator did not confirm if any tourists were present on the boat during the whale’s sighting. Read more about this story HERE.
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