7-1-2024 (BANGKOK) A white Omura’s whale has been sighted near Koh He in Phuket, Thailand, by marine enthusiasts. Assoc Prof Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a distinguished marine biologist and Kasetsart University lecturer, shared the extraordinary sighting on Facebook, suggesting this could be the first-ever observation of this extremely rare mammal in Thailand and globally.
The distinctive characteristics of the marine creature observed on the afternoon of Jan 1, located approximately 9km south of Koh He, align more closely with an Omura’s whale rather than a Bruda whale, according to Prof Thon. He highlighted a significant difference between the two species, emphasizing that an Omura’s whale features a single defined ridge on the front of its head, while a Bruda whale has three.
The rare white Omura’s whale was seen alongside another member of its species around 4 pm by individuals aboard a boat named “Happy Ours.” Omura’s whales are typically found in Southeast Asian seas and the waters south of Japan, making this sighting an exceptional occurrence.
Although Omura’s whales have been observed in both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, the Andaman Sea is their more common habitat in Thailand. The marine expert expressed the rarity of encountering a white Omura’s whale, estimating the likelihood of such an event at one in 10 million or more.
Yutthapong Damsrisuk, the chief of Nopparatthara-Phi Phi island park, reported that tourists recently spotted a 7-metre white whale near Phi Phi island. Authorities are currently working to verify the species.
Tour boats and fishing vessels operating in areas where Omura’s whales are known to be present are advised to exercise extra precautions. This extraordinary sighting underscores the diverse marine life in the Andaman Sea, emphasizing the need for conservation efforts in the region.
