10.5 Meters Sperm Whale Stranded On Sebanjar Alor Beach, NTT

KUPANG - The Kupang National Water Conservation Area (BKKPN) reported that a marine mammal, a sperm whale (Physeter macrosepalus) was stranded on Sebanjar Beach, Alor Regency, NTT.

"It's true, there is a whale that was stranded and in a dead condition and floating on Sebanjar Beach, Alor Besar Village, Northwest Alor District, Alor Regency," said Head of the Kupang BKKPN Imam Fauzi to Antara in Kupang, Tuesday, November 23.

From the results of monitoring the stranded and dead whale, it was known that there was a scar on the nose. It is suspected that the wound was hit by a coral when it was stranded around the Sebanjar beach, Alor district.

"The whale was found by a fisherman while fishing in the waters," he added.

The whale, which is known to be female with a length of 10.5 meters and a height of 1.2 meters, a tail width of 1.6 meters and a chest width of 1.6 meters, was immediately pulled ashore for burial.

A number of parties helped, such as a team from Basarnas, TNI Pos AL and Kodim 1622, SatPolairud, Northwest Alor Police, Alor Police, Polsek and Kodim joined.

In the burial process, he said, his party used an excavator unit, which was used to pull whale carcasses and dig graves.

Residents also provide ship assistance for the withdrawal of whales from the middle of the sea to the mainland. The burial process was also assisted by the residents of Sebanjar and surrounding areas.

He also appreciated the residents in Sebanjar village who helped and understood very well about handling dead whales. Because there are still many people in a number of areas in NTT who if they find marine mammals that are protected by law and die stranded, the handling is not according to applicable regulations.