Leopard Shark Stranded On The South Coast Of Jember

Head of Jember Police Headquarters, AKP M. Nai, looks closely at a stranded spotted shark at Nyamplong Kobong Beach, Kepanjen Village, Gumukmas District, Thursday (14/7/2022). (ANTARA/HO-Satpolair Jember)

JEMBER - A leopard shark or whale shark (Rhycodon Typus) stranded dead on the south coast or to be precise on Nyamplong Kobong Beach, Kepanjen Village, Jember Regency, East Java.

"We received a report from fishermen at 09.00 WIB that there was a spotted shark stranded on Nyamplong Kobong Beach, Njeni Hamlet, Kepanjen Village, Gumukmas District, so we immediately headed to the location," said Head of the Jember Police Satpolair AKP M Na'i as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 14.

According to him, the length of the stranded leopard shark was about 7 meters with a width of 1.5 meters and a weight of about 1.5 tons, so that his party together with fishermen, the Fisheries Service and the Gumukmas Police had a bit of difficulty evacuating the shark to the beach.

"The leopard shark is dead, so we are trying to evacuate the carcass to land for burial. However, the three-hour evacuation has not yielded any results," he said.

The carcass of the spotted shark is planned to be buried on the mainland by the beach so that it does not become a spectacle for residents around Nyamplong Kobong Beach and officers are also coordinating with the Jember Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA).

"Regarding the cause of the leopard shark stranding on the beach, it may be due to extreme weather conditions in the Indian Ocean, especially in the southern coast of Jember during the last few days," he said.

He explained that the BMKG conveyed information that the wave height in the southern waters of Jember was above 5 meters and the wind was strong, so it was possible that the shark was carried to the shore and stranded on Nyamplong Kobong Beach due to extreme weather.

The spotted shark or whale shark is one of the protected animals based on the Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries No. 18 of 2013 concerning the Determination of the Full Protection Status of Whale Sharks, so it must be preserved.

If the shark is stranded alive, it must be returned to its habitat in the sea and if it is stranded on the beach dead, it must be buried.