Super Heavy unexpectedly splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico instead of returning to land
world3 days ago
Indonesian animal experts were preparing Thursday to conduct an autopsy on an 18-metre (59-foot) whale that died after washing up on a beach in Bali, conservation officials said.
The sperm whale, believed to weigh many tonnes, beached itself in the east of the holiday island on Wednesday before locals and officials pushed it back out to sea.
But after swimming away it became stranded again just hours later on a different beach and died on the shore with no visible wounds, local marine and fisheries official Permana Yudiarso told AFP.
"We are still investigating the cause of death. We want to get a scientific explanation of whether it was because of pollution or plastic," he said.
Sperm whales, the world's largest predators, are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being "vulnerable" to extinction.
Vets and forensic experts have arrived at the scene to investigate the cause of the whale's death, and its carcass will be buried in the coming days.
"Today we will conduct a necropsy test, and after that we will get an excavator to try to bury the carcass nearby," Yudiarso said.
Police cordoned off the beach in Bali's Klungkung regency to stop the theft of the whale's meat or body parts.
Yudiarso said whales usually come closer to the shore when they are sick or dying.
In 2018, a sperm whale was found dead in Indonesia with more than 100 plastic cups and 25 plastic bags in its stomach, raising concerns about the Southeast Asian archipelago's massive marine rubbish problem.
Indonesia is the world's second biggest contributor to marine debris after China.
Super Heavy unexpectedly splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico instead of returning to land
world3 days ago
The 19-year-old dreamt of competing abroad, and said she wanted to be like Ronaldo and Messi
world3 days ago
Hochstein's mission marks a last-ditch attempt by the outgoing US administration to clinch a ceasefire as diplomacy to end the Gaza war appears totally adrift
world4 days ago
This will be his first visit since the beginning of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia around three years ago
world4 days ago
The changes state that any conventional attack on Russia, aided by a nuclear power, could be considered to be a joint attack
world4 days ago
The country launched a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's privacy policy, which allowed data sharing with Facebook and its units, sparking global backlash
world4 days ago
This time around, Trump wants the Senate to give up that gatekeeping role and allow him to make 'recess appointments'
world5 days ago
Police allege the offences took place between 2001 and 2019 against 8 victims; the youngest was 17 at the time of the offence
world5 days ago