Giant sperm whale spotted off Sindh coast for first time

A sperm whale, measuring about 45 feet, has been sighted off the Sindh coast for the first time, according to WWF-Pakistan.

The conservation group said on Friday that the whale was recorded in a video that captured its distinctive physical features.

WWF-Pakistan said 26 species of cetaceans, a group that includes whales and dolphins, are found in Pakistan’s maritime waters. These include the blue whale, Bryde’s whale and the Arabian Sea humpback whale.

Sperm whales are among the deepest-diving mammals. Experts say they usually dive between 300 and 800 metres in search of food, and sometimes go down to one or two kilometres.

The species is not entirely new to Pakistani waters. WWF-Pakistan reported the country’s first live sighting in September 2017, when fishermen spotted a pair off Gunz, near Jiwani in Balochistan.

Before that, only skeletal remains had been recorded, including a skeleton found at Sonara Beach near Karachi in December 2005. The species is classed as vulnerable.

WWF-Pakistan has trained more than 100 fishermen, mostly boat skippers, to record sightings of whales, dolphins and other large marine animals.

The organisation warned that fishing nets, collisions with ships and marine pollution pose serious risks to whales and other marine life. It said responsible fishing practices are necessary to protect marine animals from avoidable harm.

WWF-Pakistan stressed that effective measures are essential to protect the country’s marine biodiversity. It called for greater focus on responsible fishing and pollution control.

WWF-Pakistan was established in 1970 to address environmental and conservation challenges affecting the country’s biodiversity and human population. The non-profit organisation works to protect wildlife, conserve natural resources and safeguard the environment.