On June 16, 2025, a 35-foot blue whale was discovered dead in Gwatar Bay, a remote area straddling the Pakistan-Iran border. Local fisherman Ahmad Baloch reported the incident, which has raised alarms among conservationists and highlighted the urgent need to protect endangered marine species.
Ahmad Baloch, a fisherman in Kuntani, Balochistan, spotted the deceased blue whale floating in Gwatar Bay. According to WWF-Pakistan, the whale likely died days earlier in open waters between Pakistan and Iran, drifting to the bay due to rough seas and strong currents. While the exact cause of death remains unconfirmed, entanglement in gillnets used for fishing in coastal and offshore waters is a suspected factor.
Blue Whales in Pakistani Waters
Blue whales, scientifically known as Balaenoptera musculus, are among three baleen whale species found in Pakistani waters, alongside Bryde’s and Arabian humpback whales. Two subspecies, the pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) and the Indian Ocean blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus indica), inhabit the Northern Indian Ocean. Given its 35-foot length, the deceased whale is likely a pygmy blue whale, a smaller subspecies.
35 Ft long dead blue whale spotted near Gwatar Bay, Makran coast at the border of Iran and Pakistan pic.twitter.com/zzLM27zkKF
— Wajih Sani (@wajih_sani) June 16, 2025Blue whales are the largest animals ever known, capable of reaching 33 meters in length and weighing up to 190 tonnes. They are distributed in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean, with sightings in Pakistan, including a recent record off Gaddani, Balochistan, on April 8, 2024.
Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor at WWF-Pakistan, described the whale’s death as a significant loss for global conservation efforts. Blue whales face numerous threats as an endangered species, including entanglement in fishing gear and habitat degradation. Khan called for urgent conservation measures to protect these majestic creatures.
Cetaceans, including whales and dolphins, are safeguarded in Pakistan under Sindh and Balochistan’s wildlife and fisheries laws. However, Khan emphasised the need for federal legislation to protect cetaceans in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone, ensuring comprehensive protection across territorial waters.
The death of this blue whale underscores the broader challenges facing marine biodiversity. Entanglement in gillnets, a common fishing practice, poses a significant risk to large marine animals. Conservationists advocate for sustainable fishing practices and stricter regulations to mitigate such incidents. The loss of an endangered species like the blue whale highlights the pressing need for global cooperation to preserve marine ecosystems.
