Rare Arabian humpback whales spotted near Gwadar coast

GWADAR: In a rare and exciting event, a group of Arabian humpback whales was spotted along the Gwadar coast, an unusual sight in the Arabian Sea.

According to local fishermen, more than six whales were seen around 11 nautical miles from Gwadar, moving southwards under the leadership of Captain Ameer Dad Kareem.

The WWF-Pakistan confirmed the sighting, calling it a positive sign that the Arabian humpback whale population may be recovering after years of decline. Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor at WWF-Pakistan, said the return of these whales to Pakistani waters shows hope for the species’ gradual comeback.

He explained that from 1963 to 1967, Soviet fleets heavily hunted Arabian humpback whales, which caused a sharp drop in their numbers. However, recent whale sightings along Balochistan’s coastal areas suggest that the marine ecosystem of the Arabian Sea may be returning to balance.

WWF-Pakistan’s Senior Director for Biodiversity said repeated sightings of whales and dolphins along the Sindh and Balochistan coasts show strong marine life activity. He praised local fishing communities for helping collect valuable data about marine animals in Pakistan.

Experts also noted that Arabian humpback whales are unique because, unlike other whale species, they don’t migrate to southern oceans. Instead, they live between Yemen and Sri Lanka, making their appearance near Gwadar a promising sign of the Arabian Sea’s improving marine health.

Read More: Pakistan Railways launches new railcar between Lahore and Rawalpindi