A dwarf sperm whale was discovered dead on the beach at Vunito Goloa Village in Ra on Thursday morning. This species is the smallest in the whale family and is even smaller than many dolphins.
The villagers who encountered the lifeless whale reported that it appeared to be injured. Village headman Josefa Manakiwai noted that the whale was approximately 3.6 meters long. He mentioned that a group of villagers returning from an early morning fishing trip found the whale on the shore and believed it had been dead since last night or early this morning.
Mr. Manakiwai speculated that the whale may have been attacked by a large shark in open waters, as there were visible bite marks on its body. He stated that it is quite rare for whales to strand themselves on beaches unless they have sustained injuries at sea, recalling that this is the second occurrence in the village; the first incident happened in 1993 when another injured whale washed ashore.
Rusiate Waqata, the service center manager with the Ministry of Fisheries in Rakiraki, confirmed the identification of the mammal as a dwarf sperm whale. He also echoed the theory that it was likely bitten and subsequently stranded.