Fishing net suspected of killing whale shark near Phuket

PHUKET: A fishing net may have caused the death of a 500-kilogram whale shark whose carcass was found near Koh Pu, off the coast of Krabi, this morning.

A veterinary team from the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) arrived on scene after receiving a report that local fisherman had found the five-meter-long fish and dragged it to shore.

On examining the adolescent shark’s body, the team found several cuts on its head, as well as clots of blood.

“The cuts on the head were likely from a fishing net. We believe the shark died about 24 hours before it was discovered,” said Dr Rachawadee Jantra, the team leader.

“We cut the shark open and found that some of its organs had rotted. We did not find any evidence in the body to suggest that it had consumed anything harmful. However, we took samples of the spleen and liver to be tested for heavy metal contamination.”

At this stage, said Dr Rachawadee, the vets assume the animal died from being trapped in a fishing net. They expect to verify the cause within a week.

“In February, our team spotted a whale shark near Koh Pu, but we’re not sure that this is the same one,” Dr Rachawadee added.

“Adult whale sharks can grow up to 12 meters long and weigh up to 15 tonnes.”

— Kritsada Mueanhawong