45-foot sperm whale spotted off Karachi for first time along Sindh coast

A 45-foot sperm whale has been spotted around 40 nautical miles southwest of Karachi, marking the first recorded sighting of the species along the Sindh coast, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) said on Friday.

The whale was encountered during an expedition by Zahid Maker, a board member of WWF-Pakistan. Previous sightings of the species had been reported along the Balochistan coast.

WWF-Pakistan Senior Director Rab Nawaz said the sighting highlighted the ecological importance of Pakistan’s offshore waters and the need to protect marine habitats.

Sperm whales feed mainly on cephalopods, including squid and octopuses, and can dive to depths of up to one or two kilometres in search of food.

WWF-Pakistan has documented 26 cetacean species in the country’s waters, including blue whales, Bryde’s whales, Arabian Sea humpback whales and several species of dolphins and toothed whales.

The organisation identified fishing gear entanglement, vessel strikes and marine pollution as threats to marine life, stressing the need for conservation measures and responsible fishing practices.