Arabian Humpback Whale Sighting Raises Conservation Hopes
Local fishermen reported spotting a large group of endangered Arabian humpback whales off the coast of Gwadar late Friday night.
Captain Ameer Dad Karim and his crew observed more than six whales roughly 11 nautical miles south of Gwadar, moving eastward through the Arabian Sea.
The encounter has sparked excitement among marine researchers and conservationists who are closely monitoring whale populations across Pakistani coastal waters.
Just a week earlier, another group of Bryde’s whales was observed near the eastern bay of Gwadar, highlighting the area’s importance as a habitat for large marine species.
To date, experts have recorded 27 distinct species of whales and dolphins along the coastline, demonstrating the richness and biodiversity of its marine ecosystem.
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The Arabian humpback whale is a unique non-migratory species that spends its entire life in the Arabian Sea, unlike other humpbacks that travel south during feeding seasons.
Found mainly between Yemen and Sri Lanka, these whales migrate toward Pakistani waters after the southwest monsoon, following schools of shrimp and other small fish.
The World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan has documented several sightings of this species, but the latest observation represents one of the largest gatherings reported in recent years.
Experts suggest this group sighting could indicate a gradual recovery of the population following decades of decline caused by Soviet-era whaling between 1963 and 1967.
Marine biologists have urged continued monitoring and stricter protection of coastal ecosystems to ensure the survival of these rare Arabian humpback whales in the wild.
