Whales washed ashore in TN coast

Thoothukudi

Carcasses of 30 baleen whales were found washed ashore near the Tiruchendur beach in this district early today while 250 of the same species have been stranded in shallow waters, officials said.

Efforts are on to push the stranded sea mammals into deep waters even as a team of top officials of the fisheries department have rushed to the spot to conduct a probe.

"This is an unusual thing...an unusual mortality incident, we have to find out the reason," Marine Scientist Velumani at the fisheries department, told PTI.

"There could be many reasons...navy sonars could have caused it...or pollution...the reason is not immediately known and we don't want to speculate," Assistant Director of Tuticorin fisheries department, Amal Xavier, said.

"We have to study the health of the stranded whales and also the eco-system. The study would require the help of oceanographic experts also," Velumani said.


District Collector M.Ravikumar, who visited the stranded whales told newsmen that the whales were found washed ashore on the 16-kilometre stretch between Alanthalai to Kallamozhi coastal hamlets. The six to 18 foot long whales weighing 100 to 200 kilograms were found washed ashore since last night. Though the local fishermen and officials of Department of Fisheries dragged many of the beached whales back into the sea to save their lives, they keep returning to the shores.

He said the district administration has sought the assistance of marine scientists and researchers of Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park in Ramanathapuram district to ascertain the cause behind mass beaching of whales.

The whales started reaching the shore in groups and it is the first time so many whales have been washed ashore in Tamilnadu coast. Atleast, 20 whales were reportedly dead and the carcasses bore injury marks. Several other whales were battling for life, the locals said.