Dead Blue Whale Found Near Pakistan-Iran Coast
- Abeera Marium Siddiqui
- June 18, 2025
- 9:30 am
- 39
- Trending
A dead blue whale has been found floating near the remote coastal region of Gwatar Bay, between Pakistan and Iran. The large marine animal, about 35 feet long, was first seen by a local fisherman named Ahmad Baloch. He spotted the carcass near Kuntani, a coastal village in Balochistan, and reported it to authorities.
Experts from WWF-Pakistan believe the whale may have died several days earlier in open waters. Strong sea currents likely carried its body into the bay. While the exact cause of death is not known, the team suspects it got trapped in gillnets. These fishing nets are commonly used in the area and pose a danger to large sea creatures like whales.
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is one of the largest animals on the planet. It can grow up to 100 feet and weigh as much as 200 tonnes. However, the whale found near Kuntani was much smaller, leading experts to believe it might be a pygmy blue whale. This subspecies lives in the Northern Indian Ocean and is smaller in size compared to other types of blue whales.
In Pakistan’s waters, only three types of baleen whales have been recorded: the blue whale, Bryde’s whale, and Arabian humpback whale. All of them are rare and vulnerable. The blue whale is classified as endangered and is already under threat from fishing practices, ship traffic, and noise pollution.
Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor at WWF-Pakistan, said that the loss of any blue whale is alarming. He called for stronger efforts to protect these marine animals. Though Sindh and Balochistan have wildlife laws that protect whales and dolphins, Khan stressed the need for federal laws. He said Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone should also have rules that protect whales and other marine life.
The last known sighting of a blue whale in Pakistan was in April 2024, off the coast of Gadani. That makes this recent death even more concerning for conservationists.
