WATCH: Humpback whale sighted near Charna Island

An Arabian Sea humpback whale was sighted north of Cherna Island, much to the astonishment and excitement of ferry passengers on Monday.

Charna Island is located around 40 kilometres off Karachi coast near the Mubarak Village, bordering Sindh and Balochistan.

This particular species of whale is the rarest in the world with estimates of about 100 worldwide. This is the only species of whale that predominantly thrives off sustenance in the Arabian Sea.

The whale when sighted was in search of food. Otherwise, humpback whales are usually not seen in this season, according to WWF (Pakistan) Technical Adviser Moazzam Khan.

More than 79 humpback whales have been observed in the seas of Sindh and Balochistan during the last five years.

Apart from Pakistan, humpback whales are also found in India, Oman, Yemen and Sri Lanka.