A dwarf sperm whale has been discovered dead on the shore at Vunito Goloa Village in Ra, with the body found by villagers on Thursday morning. The dwarf sperm whale is known as the smallest member of the whale family, even smaller than many dolphins.
The villagers reported that the whale appeared to have injuries. Village headman Josefa Manakiwai indicated that the whale measured approximately 3.6 meters in length. “The villagers who went fishing early this morning came across it on our shore. I suspect it has been dead since last night or early this morning,” he noted. “It might have been bitten by a large shark in the open sea, as we can see the marks on its body.”
Mr. Manakiwai mentioned that such strandings are rare, suggesting that whales typically wash ashore only when injured at sea. “This is the second occurrence; the first was in 1993 when a deceased whale with injuries was found on the beach.”
Rusiate Waqata, the service center manager at the Ministry of Fisheries in Rakiraki, confirmed that the mammal was indeed a dwarf sperm whale. “It must have sustained injuries and ended up stranded here,” he stated.