Indonesia Rescues 34 Stranded Pilot Whales In East Nusa Tenggara

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The team urged residents not to take or consume parts of the whales while stressing their status as protected species.

Kupang (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, through its marine conservation area agency in Kupang, rescued 34 stranded pilot whales on Mbadokai Beach in Rote Ndao District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Agency head Imam Fauzi said his team conducted rescue operations for a total of 55 stranded whales from Monday night to Tuesday in a coordinated effort involving local security forces, conservation agencies, officials, and residents.

“Twenty-one whales were declared dead after stranding,” he said in Kupang, NTT, on Wednesday.

Fauzi highlighted that his team promptly conducted identification, measurement, and necropsies on the dead whales for documentation, research, and further analysis, aiming to determine the exact cause of death.

He added that closer examinations revealed the marine mammals to be short-finned pilot whales, scientifically known as Globicephala macrorhynchus. Of the 21 carcasses examined, eight were identified as males and 13 as females, with 17 confirmed to be adults while the remainder were calves.

In terms of measurement, the official pointed out that the largest specimen was a male measuring about 5.1 meters, while the smallest was only around 2.4 meters in length.

Furthermore, he assured that the rescue team had exerted all-out efforts to save all 55 stranded whales, guiding them back into deeper waters with the assistance of vessels. Despite the extensive endeavor, 21 whales ultimately did not survive the stranding.

To take care of the carcasses, the agency coordinated with the Rote Ndao government, which deployed an excavator.

“The burial of the dead whales was conducted until 7:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday,” Fauzi said, emphasizing safety protocols to prevent contamination.

He added that the team urged residents not to take or consume parts of the whales while stressing their status as protected species.

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