Journalism of Courage
The whale that was washed to the beach, is being lifted by a crane. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
Locals, who spotted the dead mammal on night, informed the police and the forest department. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
The incident comes weeks after 45 short-finned pilot whales were stranded along a 15-km beach stretch in Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
A nearly 30-foot-long whale was washed ashore at the popular Juhu beach in Mumbai. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
The dead whale was first spotted by few joggers on the beach on late Thursday night, right behind the JW Marriott Hotel in the city. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
On January 12, over 100 whales had washed up on a beach in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, 45 whales succumbed to death, while as many as 36 whales had been rescued by the fishermen. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
This is not the first instance of whale being washed ashore in Mumbai. In June last year, a 42-foot-long blue whale was washed ashore at the Revdanda coast, about 17 kms south of Alibaug in the neighbouring Raigad district. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
While stranding of whales is not uncommon, mass beaching has baffled scientists for years. Whales, which are known to swim in large social groups, may sometimes follow a ‘disoriented’ leader and get beached. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
Some ‘natural’ causes for whale beaching include following prey-rich water currents towards land or panicking at the presence of a mega predator such as a killer whale. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
