Plea for conservation as carcass of baleen whale washes ashore in Marakkanam

The 20-22 metre carcass was attended by the Tindivanam foresters. “Based on the information from local fishermen, we visited the spot and noticed the highly decomposed carcass. The physical characteristics of the whale and its sex could not be ascertained,” RM Perumal, Tindivanam, forest range officer told DT Next. “With the clearance of the DFO, the whale was buried along the shoreline,” he said. “The throat pleats of the carcass confirmed that it is a baleen or tropical whale. The death of tropical whales have been observed regularly along the TN coast,” said marine conservationist Supraja Dharini of Tree Foundation.

“Tree Foundation’s Marine Mammal stranding team have observed and recorded many stranded tropical whale carcasses along this coast since 2005. Dolphins and Olive Ridley turtles are also regularly found dead along the coastline and there is a need for more awareness on marine ecology,” Dharini said. “No scientific data on stranding of whales is available in the Indian Ocean and the last major stranding was reported near Manapad in 2016 at Thoottukudi coast where more than 40 whales stranded and died,” recalled a marine biology professor associated with a premier fisheries research institute in Kerala. In 1972, less than 10 whales washed ashore dead in TN. But in all these cases, the whales were just buried without any further studies. Whale stranding is a complex science that needs in-depth studies and research. With the Mumbai and Chennai coast highly polluted, the marine mammal movement had reduced along the Indian coastline, the professor said.