Endangered blue whale found dead in Pakistan-Iran border waters
WWF sounds alarm as 35-foot Whale carcass discovered near Gwatar Bay; gillnet entanglement suspected
A 35-foot blue whale was found dead in the remote Gwatar Bay along the Pakistan-Iran maritime boundary on Monday, sparking conservation concerns. Local fisherman Ahmad Baloch first spotted the floating carcass near Kuntani, Balochistan, while fishing in the area.
According to WWF-Pakistan, the endangered marine giant likely died days earlier in open waters before strong currents carried it to the bay. While the exact cause remains unknown, experts suspect fatal entanglement in gillnets – vertical fishing nets widely used in regional coastal waters.
A blue whale, one of three baleen whales reported from Pakistani waters, was found dead in Gwater Bay, near the Pakistan-Iran border. Likely entangled in fishing nets, the 35-foot-long whale is believed to have died days earlier before drifting ashore.
WWF-Pakistan expresses… pic.twitter.com/ivAQbE2dwO
— WWF-Pakistan (@WWFPak) June 16, 2025
Muhammad Moazzam Khan, WWF-Pakistan’s Technical Advisor, confirmed this as the first blue whale mortality reported in 2024, following last year’s sighting near Gadani on April 8. He identified the specimen as potentially being a pygmy blue whale subspecies due to its relatively smaller size.
The incident highlights critical threats facing the world’s largest animal species, which can reach 100 feet and 200 tons. Blue whales, though protected under Sindh and Balochistan’s wildlife laws, face increasing risks from fishing gear, ship strikes, and marine pollution across their Indian Ocean habitat.
WWF officials emphasized the urgent need for federal legislation to strengthen cetacean protections in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Currently, only provincial laws safeguard whales and dolphins, leaving offshore waters vulnerable. The organization maintains records of blue whale sightings along Pakistan’s coast, with this tragic discovery renewing calls for enhanced conservation measures to prevent future fatalities.
Marine biologists warn that such incidents could escalate without immediate action, as blue whale populations remain endangered globally with only 10,000-25,000 surviving individuals. The species plays a vital role in marine ecosystem balance, consuming up to 4 tons of krill daily.
35 Ft long dead blue whale spotted near Gwatar Bay, Makran coast at the border of Iran and Pakistan pic.twitter.com/zzLM27zkKF
— Wajih Sani (@wajih_sani) June 16, 2025
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