On an island beach, a decaying 12-metre whale was discovered washed ashore.
Coastal and marine conservation experts were summoned on the evening of Tuesday, 12 December, following the discovery of two dead whales on the 826-hectare island.
The following morning, 13 December, a team set off in boats from the mainland as daylight emerged.
Upon arriving at the island, the conservationists located only one deceased adult whale, already in a state of decomposition.
They transported the massive Whale from Praia do Sul to the opposite side of Anchieta Island, situated off the coast of Ubatuba, west of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Whale was anchored by its tail to allow natural decomposition in an area restricted to the public.
The team took skin and muscle samples to determine the species of the Whale.
Biologist Manuel da Cruz Albaladejo, from the Argonauta Institute, commented: “It’s very challenging to ascertain the cause of death, primarily due to the advanced decomposition of the Whale. We observed no clear signs of entanglement in fishing nets.”
Oceanographer Hugo Gallo Neto, president of the NGO, suggested the Whale might be a common Bryde’s whale.
This species, abundant in warm temperate and tropical waters globally, faces threats from fishing, climate change, and alterations in marine habitats.
Common Bryde’s whales, known to consume fish and small crustaceans, can grow up to 16.5 metres in length.
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