
Ahmad Baloch is a local fisherman who found the body of the blue whale in Kuntani, Balochistan, when he was fishing and then reported the occurrence.
A news release said that the blue whale could have died a few days prior in the open seawaters of Pakistan and Iran before meandering towards Gwatar Bay as a result of powerful sea currents.
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The reason of its death is not known but it seems the sea mammal got entwined in the fishing nets used to catch fish in the seaside and inshore waters in the locale.
Three baleen whales have been documented from Pakistani seas, including the blue whale, scientifically known as Balaenoptera musculus.
The other two are the Arabian humpback whale and Bryde s whale.The pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) and the Indian Ocean blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus indica) found in the Northern Indian Ocean are the two subspecies of blue whales. This dead whale found in Gwater Bay seems to be the pygmy blue whale due to its small size.
Concerned by the blue whale s death, WWF-Pakistan Technical Advisor Muhammad Moazzam Khan called the news "sad news" for the global conservation community. He mentioned that the Indian Ocean s tropical and subtropical seas are known to be home to blue whales.
Now all cetaceans, including whales and dolphins, are protected under the wildlife and fisheries legislations of Sindh and Balochistan. Although these whales are classified as an endangered species, urgent steps are required for their preservation, as highlighted by Khan.


