Rescued once, stranded again: False killer whale dies at Sarawak beach

KUCHING, Oct 4 — A false killer whale met with tragedy for the second time after becoming stranded twice along the Pueh coastline in Sematan. The adult female marine mammal, rescued and released initially, sadly passed away after stranding again near the Pueh Youth Camp Beach area. The SFC general manager Abang Arabi Abang Aimran revealed that the marine mammal, identified as a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) measuring 3.85 metres in length and 1.77 metres in body girth, was found in a weak condition and succumbed to its fate around 2pm.

The necropsy findings indicated shark bite marks on the animal and a stomach containing minimal material mixed with sand, suggesting the whale may not have had sufficient food before becoming stranded. The animal's death was likely due to complications arising from the stranding, such as circulatory failure caused by heat stress or heat stroke.

Nine SFC personnel along with six local residents worked together in the operation and collected biometric specimens for SFC's DNA database. Abang Arabi emphasized that all marine mammal species, including dolphins, whales, and dugongs, are protected under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998, urging the public not to handle such cases themselves but to report them to SFC promptly through the hotline or nearest office.

He also remembered a similar incident in Miri in 2013 and expressed gratitude to agencies, locals, and the public who assisted during this incident.