A dead blue whale was found washed up on the shore of Meghavaram village in the Santhabommali mandal of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh on Friday. Videos of local villagers playing with and inspecting the whale's remains have gone viral on social media. Based on specific morphological features and identification markers, the authorities have identified the deceased whale as a Bryde's whale.
Bryde's whales, commonly referred to as tropical whales, are characterised by three distinct ridges in front of their blowhole, along with sleek bodies and slender, pointed flippers. However, the precise reason behind the death of the stranded whale is still under investigation and yet to be determined.
According to local fishermen, the whale's possible cause of death is being trapped in shallow waters. Based on estimates, the enormous marine mammal is believed to measure around 25 feet in length and weigh up to five tonnes.
{{/usCountry}}According to local fishermen, the whale's possible cause of death is being trapped in shallow waters. Based on estimates, the enormous marine mammal is believed to measure around 25 feet in length and weigh up to five tonnes.
{{/usCountry}}In December, a group of fishermen performed a rescue operation to free a shark that had become entangled in a shore fishing net at Tantadi Beach in Visakhapatnam.
In May of the previous year, an eye-catching gold-painted chariot was found stranded on the Sunnapalli coast, also situated in the Santhabommali mandal. Authorities suggested that the chariot likely drifted ashore from either Thailand or Myanmar, propelled by the powerful tidal waves generated by Cyclone Asani.
Recently, the southern state of Andhra Pradesh has been experiencing a prolonged period of heavy rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that in the last 24 hours, eight locations in Andhra Pradesh, including Srikakulam, received a substantial 7cm of rainfall.
(With PTI inputs)