In a remarkable encounter near Koh He in Phuket, passengers aboard the boat “Happy Ours” found themselves in the presence of a rarely seen marine marvel: a white Omura’s whale. Little did they know that they might have been among the first in the world to witness this extraordinary sight. Marine biologists later confirmed this unprecedented occurrence.
Possible world-first sighting
Marine biologist and Kasetsart University lecturer Thon Thamrongnawasawat expressed his excitement on Facebook, stating that the detailed information provided by the observers strongly suggested that it was indeed an Omura’s whale.
This revelation sparked the possibility that this could be the world’s first-ever sighting of a white Omura’s whale, a species known for its elusiveness.
Omura’s whale vs Bruda whale
Distinguishing between Omura’s whales and Bruda whales can be challenging, but Professor Thon shed light on a key difference while speaking to the Bangkok Post. Omura’s whales exhibit a single defined ridge on the front of their heads, whereas Bruda whales feature three. This crucial detail helped confirm the identity of the spotted whale.
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About nine kilometres south of the Koh He coast, a person on the Happy Ours boat spotted two Omura’s whales at approximately 4 pm on New Year’s Day.
Omura’s whales, classified as a rare species primarily inhabiting Southeast Asian seas and waters south of Japan, have occasionally been sighted in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.
However, they are more commonly observed in the Andaman Sea. Professor Thon emphasised the rarity of a white Omura’s whale, describing the probability of such an encounter as about one in 10 million or even more.
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In a separate incident near Phi Phi island, a group of tourists reported a 7-metre white whale. Authorities are currently working to verify the species. Recognising the significance of these rare sightings, authorities are urging caution among tour boats and vessels navigating areas where Omura’s whales are present.
(With inputs from agencies)
