30-foot dead baleen whale washes ashore in Barguna

A nearly 30-foot-long dead baleen whale washed ashore on the bank of the Andharmanik River in Barguna's Taltali upazila today (9 September), drawing crowds of curious residents from nearby areas.

Locals spotted the whale on the riverbank this morning and informed the Forest Department and local administration.

According to residents, the whale is believed to have been carried from the sea by tidal currents sometime during the night before becoming stranded along the riverbank.

Some locals initially noticed what appeared to be a large object on the riverbank and, after approaching it, found the dead whale. News of the discovery quickly spread, attracting people from surrounding areas.

Forest Department officials and representatives of the local administration later reached the site and began taking steps to deal with the carcass.

Mohammad Zia Uddin, district fisheries officer, said further research was needed to determine why the whale died.

He said problems at different levels of the water could potentially contribute to the death of a marine animal, while noting that the exact cause could not be established without proper research.

"Most marine animals die because of environmental problems. But if there were a research centre here, the actual cause could be determined," he said.

Ziaur Rahman, Taltali range officer of the Forest Department, said the whale had already started decomposing and was emitting a strong odour.

"The whale has begun to decay and is now spreading a foul smell. It needs to be buried to prevent environmental pollution. But because of the strong odour, workers are unable to approach it at the moment," he said.

Taltali Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Atish Sarkar said a Forest Department team had reached the site, along with Coast Guard personnel.

"Necessary measures are being taken regarding the dead whale," the UNO said.

The UNO further said that although the exact species has not yet been identified.