A whale shark that was found dead in the sea of Krabi last Friday was believed to have died from wounds sustained from a ship's propeller, said a senior park official.
The carcass of the 7.35-metre-long whale shark (Rhincodon typus) was reported to Than Bok Khoranee National Park on Friday after it was spotted by fishing crew north of Koh Pahusia in tambon Nongthalay of Muang district.
It was brought in for an examination. The marine animal was identified as a female adult whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the largest fish in the sea. The animal had sustained a severe cut on the left side of its head, extending down to the area around its fifth pair of gills, with a propeller strike the likely cause.
The whale shark had also sustained a fracture to the head and its stomach was found to be full of food and a piece of plastic debris. The sample was collected for laboratory tests.
Siriwat Suebsai, chief of Than Bok Khoranee National Park, said the whale shark is a rare and endangered animal.
He urged fishermen and tourist operators to be aware of their presence and take precautions to avoid accidentally harming them and other mammals.