A pod of Omura’s whale (Balaenoptera omurai) sighted live off Karwar in the EEZ of India


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Authors

  • Harshavardhan Joshi
  • Dewanand Uikey
  • Ankita Mishra
  • Ashok Kadam
  • R. Jeyabaskaran

https://doi.org/10.56093/jifa.v50i3.155341

Abstract

This study documents the presence of a live population of Balaenoptera omurai (Omura's whale) in the inshore waters of Arabian Sea sighted during our exploratory purse seining operation conducted at latitude 14° 51.264' N / longitude 073 57.417' E on 22 May, 2023 in the afternoon at around 1600 h. The pod of three baleen whales consisting of a calf and two adults were spotted in shallow waters (30 m), 15 km away from the coast of Karwar (Karnataka). The presence of a weaning calf suggests that this region is a nursing ground for Balaenoptera omurai (Omura's whale). This report fills the literature gap thereby providing photographic and videographic evidence of Omura's whale in the western Indian Ocean.

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Submitted

20-08-2024

Published

18-07-2023

How to Cite

Harshavardhan Joshi, Dewanand Uikey, Ankita Mishra, Ashok Kadam, & R. Jeyabaskaran. (2023). A pod of Omura’s whale (Balaenoptera omurai) sighted live off Karwar in the EEZ of India . Journal of Indian Fisheries Association, 50(3). https://doi.org/10.56093/jifa.v50i3.155341