A whale shark got stuck in the shallows off Seririt Beach (Pantai Seririt), west of Lovina.
Rescuers, fishermen and local residents pushed it out into deeper water, but it kept coming back to the shore.
The shark was spotted on Thursday at around 11 am. By midday it had been guided about 100 metres from the beach, but even in the evening it was still circling nearby. Coastal residents kept watch over it.
The local fisheries agency believes the shark may have become disoriented. It also does not rule out that seismic survey vessels were to blame if their equipment was operated in breach of the rules. The agency has undertaken to check whether any of them passed nearby that day.
The agency also warned that the shark must not be pulled by its tail, as this can injure it. If the shark is already staying afloat, it is usually driven away from the shore with underwater noise. This advice was passed on to the specialists working on the beach.
In 2023, whale sharks beached themselves several times in western Bali. One was pushed back out to sea, but it returned to the shallows and died. Another was guided into deeper water by local residents and tourists, and it swam away.
You can add one right now!