25-Foot Blue Whale Calf Dies After Stranding on Bandra Coast

A 25-foot blue whale calf died on Saturday morning after becoming stranded along the rocky coast of Bandra in Mumbai. Despite rescue attempts by veterinarians, officials from the forest department's mangrove cell, civic body rescue teams, and other responders, the endangered marine mammal could not be saved.

Following the unsuccessful rescue attempt, the carcass of the blue whale calf was recovered from the rocky shore with the help of a crane so that an examination could be conducted. Once the examination was completed, the carcass was transported to Versova beach, where it was buried.

Currently, it remains unclear why the young whale beached itself. In response to the incident, state agencies have launched an official investigation into the cause of the beaching.

According to marine experts, whales can strand themselves for a variety of reasons. These include severe illness, physical injury, disorientation, navigational errors, and human-induced disruptions in their environment. In some cases, whales may also follow a distressed member of their pod into shallow waters, leading to strandings.

A veterinarian who examined the carcass of the calf reported that there were no external injuries visible on its body.

Marine mammal expert Dipani Sutaria shared several potential scenarios that could explain the tragedy, noting that the blue whale is an endangered species. Sutaria explained that during the monsoon season, a mother whale and her calves might chase a shoal of fish or plankton close to the coast. During such a chase, this particular calf may have become disoriented and hit the rocky Bandra coast.

Sutaria also raised the possibility that the mother whale might have been injured after being hit by a large trawler, which could have caused the calf to lose its way. Additionally, factors such as underwater noise disturbances, unhealthy biochemicals in the sea, or predators like orcas can also affect whales and contribute to such incidents.