Dead Bruda whale found at Bang Poo

Dead Bruda whale found at Bang Poo

Officials from a marine and coastal resources research centre examine the dead Bruda whale washed ashore in the mangrove forest at Bang Poo, Samut Prakan. (Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)
Officials from a marine and coastal resources research centre examine the dead Bruda whale washed ashore in the mangrove forest at Bang Poo, Samut Prakan. (Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)

The rotting carcass of a Bruda whale was found by local residents on Sunday in a mangrove forest in tambon Bang Poo Mai of Samut Prakan's Muang district.

The whale was estimated to have died five to six days ago. It was female, about 12 metres long and weighed over 15 tonnes. No injuries were found on the carcass.

Namanok Bancherdhiransamut, of the Upper Gulf of Thailand Conservation Group, said he was told three days ago that a dead whale had been spotted floating in the Gulf near the river mouth, about 15 kilometres from the Samut Prakan coastline. Members had searched for it, but without success. 

About noon on Sunday, villagers reported they had found a large whale carcass washed aground in a mangrove swamp about 500 metres from the road to tambon Bang Poo Mai. He had informed the Marine and Coastal Resources Department, Mr Namanok said.

They all went to have a look. The carcass was decomposing and sending a foul smell over the area.

Chalathip Chanchompoo, director of the marine and coastal resources research centre for the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand, said that on Jan 22 the centre received a report from a fishing boat that a dead Bruda whale was spotted floating in the Gulf about 8 kilometres from Koh Sichang. They were unable to find it.

It was probably of the same whale found on Sunday at Bang Poo, she said.

On Monday, the Chon Buri-based 2nd Marine and Coastal Resources Office coordinated with volunteers for marine protection in tambon Bang Poo Mai to remove the whale carcass to an appropriate area for examination to establish the cause of death.

The office had an excavator on standby to dig a hole to bury it afterwards. 

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