Five whales, whale sharks die in separate strandings across Indonesia
A 2025 study by the Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia and Konservasi Indonesia found a sharp increase in reported whale shark strandings in Indonesia, from about four cases a year before 2020 to 22 a year afterward.
Five whales and whale sharks have died after washing ashore in separate incidents across Indonesia, raising concerns over the threats these marine species face from human activity and environmental changes. The latest incident took place on Friday at Lama Tuha Beach in Aceh, where a 5-meter long whale shark died after becoming stranded.
Local authorities believe the whale shark may have been feeding on small shrimp near the shore before its fate. Despite the efforts of about 30 locals, the weakened whale shark could not be rescued. Earlier, on September 23, a whale carcass was discovered in a mangrove forest in Riau province. The whale, found in an unusual habitat, was not typically associated with the region.
These stranding events underscore the growing challenges marine life faces in the face of human impact.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
