The whale shark that was dragged to the fish harbour on Friday morning has been stuffed with ice to slow down the rate of decay. There are no wounds on its body and the cause of its death has yet to be determined. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
In a scene which is likely to have elicited déjà vu, a seven-metre long dead whale shark was dragged into the Karachi Fish Harbour on Friday morning.
The female whale-shark, weighing around 4 tonnes, was smaller in size than the one which fishermen dragged to the harbour on February 7 last year. By comparison, the previous specimen, which is now on display at the Pakistan Museum of Natural History in Islamabad, was around 40 feet long and weighed a massive 15 tonnes.
Scores of excited onlookers gathered at the harbour to catch a glimpse of the animal, which was packed with ice to slow down the rate of decay. Some young men leapt on the body of the whale shark and began posing for photos. Nearly everyone around the dead whale shark had whipped out their mobile phones and snapped away. Some children began playing with the whale shark’s fin.
Jumman, 35, the captain of the fishing vessel which towed the whale shark to harbour, recounted how he stumbled upon the animal to a captivated audience. His 14-member crew had dropped their trawling net into the sea between Charna and Somyani on Thursday noon. “We felt that the net was heavier than usual. When we checked what he had caught at around 3pm, much to our surprise, we found a whale shark.” Once the dead fish was dragged to the Karachi harbour, a crane was used to lift it out of the water.
For Pakistani fishermen, catching a giant fish is bad omen. “We don’t like to catch an Andhi Mangar (whale shark) because they cannot be sold easily in the market and we can’t make money,” said Jumman, adding that his haul was quite disappointing this time around. “Its meat is proscribed, but we want to get Rs300,000 for the fish as its liver oil and fats can be used,” said Jumman. Allah Dinu, who was also on the boat, speculated that the whale shark might have been hit by the propeller of a cargo ship.
Anees Soomro, the director of operations at the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority, told The Express Tribune that the whale shark has not decomposed as yet and there are no wounds on its body. He, however, said that he could not comment on why the animal had died. “Fishermen’s nets cannot kill whale sharks but this one accidentally got entangled in it,” said Soomro. The harbour authority has sent letters to experts in Karachi University, World Wildlife Fund - Pakistan and other experts to examine the animals. The samples from the whale shark will be given to them on Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2013.
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The Local fishermen have destroyed the sea life we once had. I have been Scuba Diving of the coasts of Pakistan for the last decade, and the people I dive with have been doing it for the past three decades!!
The use of illegal fishing nets and pollution being dumped into the ocean has severly affected the sea life that once lived. Our waters were full of fish and coral reefs, but now these reefs are dying or are dead. You do not spot the same amount of fish there use to be, and the larger ones just don't come here anymore.
Whale Sharks are harmless creatures, and if anything, the governement should NOT let the whale shark be sold. They should remove it from the possesion of the fishermen, and create a law, where if a fishermen brings in a whale shark they will be arrested. Hunting whales is illegal, and our fishermen know this. That is why they say, they found a dead one. It probably wasn't dead when they found it! Stricter laws are needed to revive the once full of life ocean we had. At this rate, our ocean resources will slowly be depleated. For Pakistan having such a long coastal area, it's a shame, authorities are busy looting money, when they can use this too as a way to attract tourism.
There is so much this country has to offer, and we as a nation abuse what we have recieved, in stead of taking care of it.
For the kids, and adults who were jumping on the fish, etc. It's not their fault, as they don't know better. We can't judge our people, when they have not had the exposure and learnings of the importance of these creatures and the ocean. We can, hold a few accountable, which would help our people understand.
I pray for our country, as all of you should. It is sad thinking of what we have become, when you know what we could have been.
Quasi moto is right! Whale sharks don't have teeth. They have bristles and they filter plankton out of sea water, like most whales. Thier favorite food is very small. But they are sharks, and like all sharks they can't breathe if they stop moving, so if it got trapped in the net, then that is what must have killed it.
Its good that its only a harmless whale shark. Karachi is mainly visited by loan sharks and bhatta sharks.
Is it halal? I am thinking Whale Shark sushi.
It is sad the such a creature gets entangled in net and get killed. This should call for awareness within fishermen but then... in a land where life is cheaper than a 100 rupee mobile phone one cant expect much sense to prevail.
@Soshallyoureap: "I don’t know why all dangerous species love to die in Pakisan :)"
Endangered and Dangerous are two different words.
I don't know why all dangerous species love to die in Pakisan :)
What an attitude ! ! ! 'leaping on the body of the shark and posing for photos!'. 'Children began playing with the whale shark's fin'. This should just about sum up the attitude of the inhabitants out there who show that even endangered species who may seek shelter in the harbour or shallow waters are not safe from the nets, or the dredging activities going on in harbour or for financial gain. These creatures of the deep are worth more alive as they also bring in tourist revenues and marine reserves ought to have been set up by the authorities to accomodate them. They are worthy of respect. Even Egypt has set up a reserve in its Red Sea port which attracts the creatures and they do not consider any meat that comes from the sea as 'proscribed'. Eating fresh raw food can reduce medical bills and help the cash strapped farmers who are in need of dire assistance. How sad.
yayyyyyyyy! more fish for our Museum :D
There is definitely something wrong. Either its the sea or these fishermen have trapped it for money.
:(