15-metre whale washes ashore Suwadi beach in Oman's Barka province

Muscat: A huge dead sperm whale washed ashore recently at Suwadi beach in Barka province, the Environment Authority has said.

The initial investigations suggest that the whale, which was over 15 meters long, suffered from a disease, as revealed during an autopsy.

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Sperm whales are the largest of all toothed whales and the largest toothed animal alive.

The authority affirmed the presence of many parasites in the whale’s system, indicating it had been ailing prior to its death. While the exact cause remains under investigation.

“Samples are currently being analyzed in laboratories at Sultan Qaboos University. The whale was found stranded, and a dedicated team worked tirelessly for 55 continuous hours to conduct an autopsy, collect necessary samples, and ensure the whale was properly buried”, the authority added.

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries figures shows that Oman is home to almost 20 species of whales and dolphins, accounting for over a quarter of the world’s species.

There are no current figures about the exact number of Humpback whales in the Omani waters.

-- Fahad Al Mukrashi is a journalist based in Muscat