BANGKOK, Thailand – Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin has ordered urgent measures to reduce the risk of vessel strikes involving Bryde’s whales following the discovery of a stranded whale in Samut Prakan province on August 31. Authorities are now increasing surveillance in whale habitats and along their movement routes while monitoring maritime traffic in areas where the animals are commonly found.
A necropsy identified the animal as a 10.70-meter male sub-adult Bryde’s whale that had been in good body condition before death. Despite advanced decomposition, examination found severe trauma to the head and upper jaw, including fractures, bruising, and hemorrhage. The stomach and intestines had also been displaced through the abdominal wall following a severe blunt-force impact, with traumatic shock and blood loss determined to be the cause of death.
Suchart tasked the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, led by Director-General Dr. Pinsak Suraswadi, with monitoring Bryde’s whale habitats and vessel traffic and coordinating measures to reduce collision risks. Based on physical characteristics and preliminary sighting records, authorities believe the whale may have been Mali, the sixth calf of a female Bryde’s whale known as Kanya, first recorded in May 2021. DMCR is also urging vessel operators in the Upper Gulf of Thailand to reduce speed when whales are sighted, maintain a safe distance, and avoid approaching the animals or crossing their path. (NNT)
