Barka: The Environment Authority has affirmed that initial information indicated that the recent death of a sperm whale off the coast of Al Sawadi area, in the Wilayat of Barka, was likely to have been caused by natural circumstances.
The authority reported that the washed-up whale measured more than 15 metres long and that the autopsy showed the existence of many parasites in its carcass, an evidence that the animal was suffering from a disease. The Authority affirmed that samples of the whale’s body are currently being analysed at the laboratories of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU).
The Environment Authority determined the identity of the whale and it is studying the causes of its death. Accordingly, the Authority formed a working team to deal with the emergency incident. The team worked for 55 continuous working hours during which it collected the required samples. The whale was then buried in cooperation with different establishments.
It is worth noting that sperm whales are found in the deep waters of the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea. A sperm whale can grow to a length of 18 metres and can weigh up to 57,000 kilogrammes.
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