Antara 13 May 18;
Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - A melon-headed whale was found stranded on the Oesapa coast of Oesapa Sub-district, Kelapa Lima Sub-district, Kupang City, East Nusa Tenggara Province.
Some fishermen and Coastal and Marine Resources Agency (BPDSL) officers on the coast of Oesapa tried to guide the whale back to the sea on Saturday (May 12) afternoon.
"This whale had been stranded since 11:30 a.m. local time. We tried to push it back to the sea, but it kept returning to the coast," an officer, Marlen Mesak Nale, stated.
Nale noted that the whale was first found by a local fisherman who was on the beach.
The fisherman then sought help from other fishermen to push the whale back into the sea. The effort, which lasted for about four hours, was in vain as the whale did not want to go back to the sea.
Even until 04:00 p.m. local time, the whale was still on the coast. Visitors crowded on the beach to watch the whale.
The body of the mammal had an incision. The whale, which had a spear near its tail, had allegedly been injured by irresponsible whale hunters.
Meanwhile, Staff of Coastal and Marine Resources Center (BSDPL) of East Java-Bali-West Nusa Tenggara-East Nusa Tenggara, Yuniarti, remarked that the whale had allegedly been separated from its flock.
"It was difficult to return it to the sea. It might have been terrified by the crowd, with some even climbing on top of it, making it difficult for it to swim," she explained.
Reported by Kornelis Kaha
(T.KR-TQA/INE)
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
