BKKPN sends identification team for multiple stranded whales in Rote Ndao

Kupang — The National Marine Conservation Authority (BKKPN) Kupang has sent a team to identify multiple marine mammals, specifically whales, that have stranded on Mbadokai Beach, Deranitan Village, South West Rote District, Rote Ndao Regency, East Nusa Tenggara.

“We have already dispatched a team to the location to identify the whales,” said BKKPN Kupang Head Imam Fauzi in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday.

This statement was made following reports of multiple stranded whales of uncertain number that have washed ashore in Rote Ndao waters since Monday, 9 March.

The stranded whales have become a spectacle for local residents in the area, attracting significant public attention.

Based on initial reports received from Rote Ndao Naval Base (Lanal), the number of stranded whales reached 50. However, according to Imam, this figure is unlikely to be accurate.

Nevertheless, he continued, 11 whales have been found already dead, stranded on the beach. Several others remain alive but in critical condition due to injuries.

Regarding the cause of the whale strandings, Imam stated that the cause remains unknown, but BKKPN has requested assistance from a veterinarian in Rote Ndao to perform a necropsy to identify the underlying cause.

“At this time, the exact cause of why so many whales have stranded remains unknown,” he said.