The carcass of a dead whale has washed ashore at Someshwar Beach near Ullal in the outskirts of the city. The huge marine mammal is thought" />
By Mahesh Nayak
Pics: Rohit Rao
Mangalore, 21 April, 2016:The carcass of a dead whale has washed ashore at Someshwar Beach near Ullal in the outskirts of the city. The huge marine mammal is thought to have died in the high seas a couple of days ago and drifted to the seashore.
The whale measuring about 43 feet (about 13 meters) in length lies on the south side of Someshwar rock and it has been attracting curious onlookers after it was discovered on Wednesday morning. Dr Krishna Mohan and Rohit Rao, two wildlife enthusiasts have identified it as the carcass of an adult male Bryde’s whale, based on its distinctive body markings and physical features.
Bryde’s whale (pronounced ‘Brude-ess’), gets its name from Johan Bryde (1858–1925), a Norwegian man who built the first whaling stations in South Africa.
These whales are members of the baleen whale family. They are found in warm waters and can reach lengths of about 40-55 ft (13-16.5 m) and weigh up to 90,000 lbs (40,000 kg). Males are usually slightly smaller than females.