The carcass of another whale, found dead off the coast of Bali, was discovered on Legian Beach near the Bali Niksoma Hotel. The whale’s body was wrapped in fishing nets. However, the cause of death remains unknown, and it is possible the mammal became trapped after it had already died.
The beach manager immediately reported the incident to the authorities. Experts on-site estimated that the 7-meter whale had died approximately 3–4 days before its body washed ashore.
Ratna Hendratmoko, head of the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency (KSDA), did not rule out the possibility that the whale’s death was caused by getting stranded and tangled in nets. However, determining the exact cause is challenging due to the time elapsed since its death. Moreover, by the time the experts arrived, the whale had already been buried.
Made Gede Dwipayana, coordinator for marine waste management at the Badung Environmental and Hygiene Office (DLHK), stated that his team immediately buried the remains upon receiving information about the discovery to prevent the spread of foul odors.
This is standard practice, as leaving the carcasses of dead fish and marine mammals on the beach can contaminate both air and water. Consequently, experts often prioritize burial, even if it means forfeiting the chance to determine the cause of death.
The gender and weight of the whale were also undetermined. However, eyewitnesses estimated it to be around 7 meters long and 2 meters wide.
This marks the second recent case of a marine mammal’s death off the coast of Bali. About a week earlier, a 12-meter sperm whale was found on Amed Beach. It lay in shallow waters for nearly a day while awaiting heavy equipment needed to bury such a large carcass. The cause of death for that whale also remains unknown.
You can add one right now!