A blue whale, measuring approximately 35 feet in length, was found dead in Gwatar Bay along the Makran Coast, near the maritime border of Pakistan and Iran.
The lifeless mammal was first spotted by a local fisherman, Ahmad Baloch, near the coastal village of Kuntani in Balochistan. Officials believe the whale died several days earlier in open waters and was carried toward the bay by strong currents and rough sea conditions.
Although the precise cause of death is yet to be confirmed, marine experts suspect the whale may have become trapped in gillnets—fishing gear widely used in the area—which can pose a serious threat to large marine animals.
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The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), the largest animal on Earth, is one of three baleen whale species found in Pakistani waters, alongside the Bryde’s whale and the Arabian humpback whale. All three are considered vulnerable due to increasing environmental and human pressures.
Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor at WWF-Pakistan, described the discovery as a significant and sorrowful incident for marine conservation efforts. He highlighted the endangered status of blue whales and called for urgent action to strengthen marine protection measures.
Despite existing legal protections under the wildlife and fisheries laws of Sindh and Balochistan, conservationists argue that enforcement is weak, and marine life remains at risk from fishing nets, pollution, and vessel strikes.