A deceased dwarf sperm whale was discovered on the shores of Vunito Goloa Village in Ra on Thursday morning. The dwarf sperm whale, known as the smallest member of the whale family, is typically even smaller than most dolphins.
Local villagers reported that the whale appeared to have sustained injuries. Village headman Josefa Manakiwai noted that the whale measured approximately 3.6 meters in length. He shared that villagers who had gone fishing in the early morning found the creature on the beach, estimating that it had been dead since the previous night or early that morning.
Mr. Manakiwai speculated that the whale may have been attacked by a large shark at sea, citing visible marks on its body as evidence. He also mentioned that instances of whales stranding themselves on their shores are rare unless the animals have been injured while at sea.
“This is the second occurrence of this kind; the first was in 1993 when another dead whale was found washed ashore, and it too had injuries,” he recalled.
Rusiate Waqata, the service center manager from the Ministry of Fisheries in Rakiraki, confirmed that the marine creature was indeed a dwarf sperm whale. He reiterated that the whale likely sustained injuries leading to its stranding.