8-Tonne Bryde’s Whale Found Dead Near Bang Pu Seawall

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

An 8-tonne Bryde’s whale was found dead, floating near the Bang Pu seawall in Samut Prakan province. Authorities suspect the whale was fatally struck by a vessel, and a detailed necropsy is underway to confirm the cause of death.

 

At around 08:30 on the  morning of 7 March, Mr Bancha Udomsamuthiran, an adviser to the Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, received a report from local residents that a large whale carcass had been spotted near the rocky shore of Bang Pu, close to Soi Bang Pu Municipality 88, Sukhumvit Road. Officials from the Department of Fisheries were immediately dispatched to investigate.

 

Upon arrival, authorities found the carcass of an adult female Bryde’s whale, measuring approximately 9 metres in length and estimated weighing around 8 tonnes. The whale was in a state of decomposition, floating belly-up. Deep lacerations, resembling injuries caused by a boat’s propeller, were found on its head and body, suggesting it may have been struck by a large vessel. Experts estimate the whale had been dead for at least three days.

 

Marine officials used boats to tow the carcass to shore near the rear of a local municipal school. Specialists from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the Department of Fisheries will conduct a necropsy to determine the precise cause of death.

 

According to Mr Bancha, this whale was likely one of the Bryde’s whales that inhabit the upper Gulf of Thailand. It is possible that the whale was struck while feeding, as these whales are known to be non-aggressive and primarily consume small fish. They may sometimes approach boats out of curiosity, putting them at risk of collisions with large vessels.

 

However, he stressed that this is currently only a hypothesis. A full examination of the whale’s remains will be necessary to confirm the actual cause of death. Bryde’s whales are an endangered species, with only around 100 individuals recorded in the Gulf of Thailand. This discovery marks the first known Bryde’s whale fatality in Thai waters in 2025.

 

Once the necropsy is complete, officials plan to bury the remains.

 

-- 2025-03-08