A coordinated rescue effort returned 34 whales to the sea, while authorities conducted necropsies on the other 21 deceased whales to determine the cause of death.
The Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, through the Marine Management Agency (Balai Pengelolaan Kelautan or BPK), reported that dozens of pilot whales had become stranded in the waters off Rote, East Nusa Tenggara. Imam Fauzi, Head of BPK Kupang, stated that approximately 55 whales were trapped in the waters, of which 34 were subsequently rescued and guided back to sea.
The incident began on Monday, the 9th of March, at around 5.15 PM Central Indonesian Time, when the Kupang Marine Management Agency, Rote Ndao Working Area, received a report from Rote Island’s Indonesian Navy Base (Pangkalan TNI Angkatan Laut or LANAL) regarding a pod of pilot whales at Batutua Beach. LANAL personnel, together with the Southwest Rote Police, immediately attempted to guide the whales back into deeper waters using boats.
However, at 9.30 PM, a further report was received that some of the whales had become stranded again at Mbadokai Beach, Fuafuni Village. LANAL personnel, police officers and local residents then worked to guide the whales into deeper waters to rescue the surviving individuals.
On the following Tuesday morning (the 10th of March), a team from the Kupang Marine Management Centre, along with conservation organisations Thrive Conservation and Blue Forest, arrived at the site to take further action. The team joined forces with elements from the Rote Island’s LANAL, the Southwest Rote Police, village officials and the local community to evacuate and release the surviving whales.
Of the approximately 55 stranded pilot whales, 34 were successfully guided back to sea, while around 21 (8 males and 13 females, including 4 calves and 17 adults) were found dead. The joint team then carried out identification, measurements and necropsies on the deceased whales for record-keeping, scientific study and analysis to determine the precise cause of death.
The Director General of Marine Management at the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Koswara, expressed his appreciation for the swift response of all parties involved in managing the incident.
“This collaboration is crucial for the preservation of protected marine species while ensuring the rapid and appropriate handling of marine wildlife,” Koswara told the press on the following Wednesday (the 11th of March).
To deal with the dead whale carcasses, the team coordinated with the Rote Ndao Regency Government to provide heavy machinery. The Rote Ndao Regency Public Works and Public Housing Agency subsequently dispatched an excavator to the site to assist in the safe burial of the whale carcasses, preventing potential environmental impacts.
“At around 12.30 PM, the excavator arrived at the site, and the burial process for the whale carcasses was carried out until 7.30 PM. During the operation, the team also urged the public not to take or consume any parts of the whales, as this marine mammal is a protected species,” Koswara concluded.