Photo: Lingaraj Panda

FALL OF ANOTHER GIANT: The whale that was washed ashore 10 km away from Dankalpadu on Wednesday afternoon.

DANKALPADU (GANJAM DITRICT): Marine experts as well as traditional marine fishermen of Ganjam coast are baffled by the continuous drifting of whale carcasses to the Ganjam coast. The body of a whale of more than 45 feet length has drifted by the high tide to the coast about 10 kms from the Dankalpadu village.

About a month ago a similarly large whale carcass had been swept to the coast near Nakaram village in Ganjam district. Although one has to walk around 10 km on the sea coast from the Dankalpadu village to reach the recent whale carcass, hundreds of men, women and children from fishermen villages rushed to the spot on Thursday to have a look at the `giant marine fish' that they never come across while fishing at sea.

Decomposed

The recent whale carcass is more decomposed than the earlier carcass that had reached the Ganjam coast last month. Daring the stench people even danced on the carcass.

Marine scientists are also not sure about the reasons that are related to these drifting of whale carcasses to this coast. R.K.Panigrahi, professor of marine science of Berhampur University, hinted that this has to be studied in relation to the non-arrival of Olive ridleys to Ganjam coast for nesting this year.

"It is for sure some major environmental changes have occurred in the Bay of Bengal in recent times which has affected the lives of Olive ridleys as well as whales venturing into the Bay of Bengal," he said.

According to him effects of global warming may be one of the reasons behind death of the whales in sea but it needs proper study to be ascertained.

He also added that a similar whale carcass had been found near Devi river mouth coast in Puri district last year.

Mr Panigrahi said the recent whale carcass is of a sperm whale while the other whale found near Nakaram was of a fin whale. Asked why these carcasses are getting drifted to the coast, he said the northwesterly sea current that has begun in the Bay of Bengal during recent months may be a reason behind the westward drifting of these carcasses to this coast from deep areas of Bay of Bengal.

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