JAGATSINGHPUR/KENDRAPARA: The carcass of a 30-foot-long Baleen whale washed ashore at Sandhkuda beach along Paradip coast under Kujang forest range on Tuesday.
A group of fishermen first spotted the mammal while returning from the sea with their catch. Soon after, villagers gathered at the site. On being informed, local forest authorities rushed to the spot.
Kujang forest ranger Sanjay Pradhan said the whale was found in a highly decomposed state, with visible scars and evidence of previous entanglements. Such entanglements are common among Baleen whales due to their feeding habits. Officials suspect the mammal may also have been struck by ships or fishing vessels in deep waters before its carcass drifted ashore.
A team of veterinary doctors collected viscera samples from the carcass and sent those to Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar for examination. “The exact cause of death will be known after we receive the report,” said assistant conservator of forests Gagan Bihari Mallick.
A team of forest personnel has been deployed to guard the carcass.