A dead whale entangled in a net, with signs of head trauma, floats on Cox's Bazar beach in Bangladesh

• April 19, 2023

A huge dead whale entangled in fishing nets was found floating in the sea off Himchhari Marine Drive in Ramu Upazila, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. From Tuesday morning to 3 pm, the dead whale was seen at Daryanagar point from Himchari, said the executive in charge of the tourism cell of the district administration Hakeem Md. Masum Billah.

Masum Billah said that on Tuesday morning, local people and fishermen saw a large dead whale floating in the distant sea near Cox's Bazar Himchhari Point. Later, the locals informed the concerned officials of the administration, forest department and police. After receiving the news, some beach workers of the district administration's tourism reached the whale floating in the sea by speed boat. Fishing nets were found wrapped around the whale's body. Quoting the beach workers, he further said that the dead whale was approximately 50 feet long. The whale is believed to have died at least a week ago. It stinks.

The cause of the whale's death is yet to be known. He also said that the whale was seen floating in the sea water till 3 pm. If it does not float in the tide, measures will be taken to bring it to the shore. In this regard, the concerned people including the forest department have been informed.

Bangladesh Ocean Research Institute (BURI) director general and oceanographer Saeed Mohammad Belal said that a team of BURI collected photos and video images by drone after receiving news of a dead whale floating in the sea on Tuesday morning.

After reviewing the pictures, it was found that the dead whale was of the 'Brydes' species. The body of the whale is wrapped in a fishing net. The whale showed signs of trauma to the head. He also said that the fish could get caught in the huge fishing nets and get seriously injured or die from other causes. The whale is constantly changing position due to the tides. If it floats to the bottom, it will be possible to know the real cause of its death after the autopsy, said the oceanographer.

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