An exciting and significant development for Pakistan’s marine ecosystem has emerged with the sighting of a large group of Humpback Whales, a species facing the threat of extinction, in the waters off Gwadar, Balochistan. The captivating sight of over six Humpback Whales leaping above the water’s surface was captured by the captain of a fishing launch.
According to Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor for WWF-Pakistan, a group of fishermen led by Captain Amirdad Karim witnessed more than six whales migrating from west to east in the waters approximately 11 nautical miles south of Gwadar hill. The sighting follows a recent report of a Bryde’s Whale group from the Eastern Bay of Gwadar last week, underscoring the rich biodiversity potential of the Balochistan coast. To date, 27 species of dolphins and whales have been recorded in Pakistan’s marine waters.
The Unique Arabian Sea Humpback Population
Muhammad Moazzam Khan provided crucial details on this particular Humpback Whale population. He explained that the Arabian Sea Humpback Whale is a distinct type of Baleen whale that is confined to the Arabian Sea between Yemen and Sri Lanka and does not migrate to the Southern Oceans annually. These whales migrate towards Pakistani waters after the South-West Monsoon to feed on shrimp (Krill) and other small fish. Their largest population resides in Omani waters.
A Signal of Recovery
WWF has previously reported many sightings of the Arabian Humpback Whale from Pakistan, but most observations involved only one or two individuals. The presence of a large group comprising more than six whales in the current incident is a positive sign that its dwindling population along Pakistan’s coast might be recovering.
Experts believe that large Soviet trawlers targeting whales between 1963 and 1967 severely impacted the Arabian Sea Humpback Whale population. The presence of such large groups in Pakistan’s waters hints at the potential recovery of this endangered Arabian Humpback Whale population.
Rab Nawaz, Senior Director of Biodiversity at WWF-Pakistan, expressed delight over the recent sighting of the Humpback Whale group, as well as the recurrent sightings of Bryde’s and Blue Whales along both the Sindh and Balochistan coasts. He commended the fishing community for monitoring and reporting the presence of whales and dolphins, recognizing it as a significant contribution to citizen science.
