Sightings and Strandings

Near Breach Candy hospital, Mumbai Shared on Save Our Coast group

Uppur, Palk Bay

Cuddalore, Karnataka Shared by Mihir Sule and Madhu

Video taken by fishers from Mangrol, Gujarat and shared on Mangrol Fisherman group Shared by Ganesh Nakhwa - https://www.instagram.com/p/B8F-vzhJUkm/

Umbergaon, Gujarat. Reported by Dr. Vinherkar

Siali beach, Orrisa Via Bichi

Mangrol port, Junagadh district. Shared by Swapnil Tandel

Jaigarh, Ratnagiri

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Found at Shirgaon beach, Palghar. Shared on Marine Respondents by Bhushan Bhoir

Caught by fishers at Vizhinjam Shared by Dipani Source: Biju sir

Shared by Shantanu Kalambi Location: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=13.010231971740723%2C74.78813171386719&z=17&hl=en

Padukere beach, Udipi district

Conveyed by Samyuktha Rao Kandregula.

Murudeshwar Shared by Shantanu Kalambi

Found near the Velan shore. Photos and information shared on twitter by DCF, Gir West Source: https://twitter.com/DCF_GirWest/status/1264788879455870977

Mandarmani beach, West Bengal Source: Prasad Tudu on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=310335136798830&id=100034670370859 NDTV: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/35-foot-whale-washes-up-on-west-bengals-mandarmani-beach-2253850

Informed by lifeguard who found it towards the northern end of the shore

Farakka Feeder Canal, originating from the Farakka Barrage. A linear structure with an approximate width of 180 m.

Mandarmani beach

Source: Raja Bandi

Devi river mouth, Astarang, Orissa

Kihim Beach. Source: Anuradha

Daman

Juhu Beach. Source: Marine Respondents

Devi River mouth

Live stranded at fish landing jetty at Hut Bay. Re-flotation was attempted but the animal eventually passed away and washed ashore. The incident was responded to by Deputy Ranger (Mobile squad) Binu Pappan.

Dead Risso’s dolphin which was washed up ashore near to the Thundi Beach at the southern peak of Minicoy Island, Lakshadweep.

washed up ashore near to the grounded ship at the southern beach of Kavaratti island, Lakshadweep

Dead whale has been noticed near to the Agarnasi island of Kendrapada district. (Source: Sambad newspaper)

https://www.eenadu.net/districts/latestnews/Vizianagaram/12/120053820 (Translation: Local village people and fishermen community are surprised to see the huge whale. It was estimated to be 7MT and local marine police have been informed. Arrangements are made to bury it.)

Documentation collected by my fishing community network from vengurla

Found stranded on the morning of March 13. Photos shared by journalist and Krish Subramanian. Exact location: https://www.google.com/maps?q=12.975537,80.267007

Anjarle, Ratnagiri,

Velsao beach, Goa

Trivandrum - Washed ashore

Patnem beach, Goa

Washed ashore

Trivandrum

Sea shore, Dandi, Dist. Navsari, Gujarat

Seen from a boat a few hundred metres from the shore, in line with Raj Bhavan.

The situation was responded to and communicated by range officer Neelam Purti. Two forest staff carried the animal to the mouth of the creek in a dunghi and released it.

Observed by angler Hakim Shaikh

Reported by Swapnali Gole

Juhu beach. Pictures from local tourist and Prochy Master (via Shaunak Modi)

Found at Mahim beach, Palghar. Reported by Mangrove Foundation.

Vengurla - kalvi bunder Maharashtra, photographs Shared by my fisherman community Network from the village.

Sasihitlu beach, north of mangalore.

At Rushikulya river mouth beach

Stranding was reported to Abhishek Jamalbad by Mr. M V Bhaktha from Vasai.Washed ashore at Vasai beach.

Stranding reported from ToI article by Dipani Sutaria on India Marine Mammals group (whatsapp). Above details from the same article.

Versova beach..Reported by Mr. Manir Dhabak (contact details not available) on Sprouts group (Whatsapp).

Honnavar beach

Stranding was reported on India-Marine Mammals group (Whatsapp) by Coralie D'Lima.

Varca Beach, Goa. Source: TerraConscious and Drishti Life guards

Periapattinam seashore of Ramanathapuram district of Gulf of Mannar.

Baleen whale washed ashore in Thrissur district. Approx 20ft in length. No sample collected. Buried next day at the beach.

Washed ashore at Ashwem beach.

Adult female found near Kali river mouth in Karwar. This stranding was reported to us two days after it was first seen. Tooth count taken, no measurements or samples taken.

Washed ashore at Varca. Necropsy conducted.

Washed ashore. L:2m 90cm, B: 70cm

A pod of killer whale consisting of two males, one female and a calf Confirmed with Dr Georgina Gemmel as per fisherman sighted. Akshay Haram operating trawl net at a depth of 26 m from 5-6 km away from Devgad shoreline in Sindhudurg district. He had reported the pod had been chasing the hauled net for few distance and trying to depredate from the same. The documentation has been shared to swapnil tandel by the fisherman further which he made inpublic via socialmedia. Fisherman also shared the gps lat long of the incident to 16 26.000 N 73 17.000 E.

Carcass washed ashore and seen by tourists. Seems to have a few vertical cuts on the body at different locations. Not propellor but more like a knife.

A pod of killer whale consisting of 3 individual male female and a calf sighted by fisherman in near shore waters of purngad and gaonkhadi coastline of Ratnagiri district at a depth of 20 feet and 200 m distance from shore

Most likely a young Omura's whale. Live sighting of a whale, quite close to shore at Pilo Milo island of Nicobar - video'd from a boat and by a drone. Lat Long data available and to be added. Based on the dorsal fin we can rule out Bryde's, Blue, Humpback and Minke whales. It is a young animal about 4-5 m long. Stayed with the boat for 15-20minutes, it at first moved closer to shore and then started moving offshore. We stayed with it for a while. Slow surfacing. no other individuals around.

Carcass washed ashore near Anjarle beach, Dapoli Taluka, late in the evening. Measurements were not taken. The carcass was buried on location by local forest department. From the photographs, it seems like a sub-adult individual.

Skeleton found at Ashwem beach, Goa. No additional details available

Washed ashore at Sinquerim beach. Morpho collected.

Found at 5 am by SSTCN turtle walkers at the water's edge on Besant Nagar Elliot's beach.
Measurements made by SSTCN volunteers: total length, 236 cm; height of dorsal fin, 25 cm; circumference, 142 cm; tail fluke, 58 cm.
Length of flipper, 58 cm.
Location of fin, 112 cm from tip of snout; 90 cm to tail fluke. Base of fin, 30 cm.
Teeth -- upper jaw, 2 teeth + 2-plus sockets; lower jaw, 15? teeth.
No rigor mortis when found, eyes fresh.
Female?
No signs of injury. Some protrusion [intestine?] in the anal region.
Skin white overall except for a dark patch on left flank. Tailstock pockmarked heavily with shallow circular depressions.
Ribs visible on sides. Flesh constricted? in the neck region.
Curious odour noted when approached first.

Dead individual floating in the sea

Pod of Orca's visited Goa on 21-01-19. In 25-30m of water off the coast of Canacona. Approximately 4-5 individuals. One young individual.

Dolphin washed ashore at Mobor beach. Data collected by lifeguards

The dolphin was found washed ashore in Walkeshwar by BMC workers and was taken away.

This baleen whale was recorded offshore of Mumbai. Exact location is unknown.

3-4 humpback dolphins were stranded in shallow waters off Bhavnagar, at Kathiyya jal. People tried to pull them to deeper waters. Eventually they swam back out at high tide.

Stranding

This was a pod of 100+ dolphins moving fast in a single direction possibly Northwards. Assuming there were more individuals below the surface it could be anywhere near 200. Juveniles were also present meaning this could be a single pod or multiple pods gathered together and the linear movement in a single direction suggests a possibility of predators being present in the area. No fishing activity was noticed. Swinhoe''s storm petrel as well as flesh-footed shearwater were also spotted along with them.

Washed ashore at Ashwem, Goa - Source: TerraConscious and Drishti Lifeguards.
Seems to be a juvenile. There are rake marks seen from base of dorsal fin till the blowhole. the jaw is broken and missing.

a young humpback dolphin washed ashore at Marakkanam. No serious external injury seen. No necropsy. No sample collection.

washed ashore in Dhantej village of Sutrapda, Gujarat.

Carcass washed ashore on 2nd September 2018. Reported on 3rd September 2018. No morphometric data recorded.

Carcass buried on site. No morphological data collected.

Humpback dolphin and finless porpoise carcass washed ashore. Probably, necropsy was conducted by the SPCA, but no details were shared.
The carcass appears small in size, probably a calf/juvenile. The attached pictures have two carcasses, the smaller one is the humpback dolphin carcass.

Animal washed ashore not far from Juhu police Chowki. Morphological data not recorded. Animal buried on site by the locals.

Humpback dolphin was stranded at Chimbai beach, no morphological data collected.

Information was forwarded by Dr. Dinesh Vinherkar, based on a whatsapp forward he received. No morphometric details received.

Pictures attached. No data available.

Finless porpoise female, total length: 1.34m. Stranded near ONGC bridge.
FD carried out a necropsy and found undigested bombay duck in the stomach contents.
An injury was present above the eye.

Washed ashore Mandrem beach. Source: Terraconscious and Drishti Lifeguards

whale washed ashore in Okha.. Sample taken and deposited in Wildlife Institute of India

Carcass was found by Mr. Zsu Ferrao, between Rangaon and Bhuigaon beach. Another dead dolphin was observed about 500 m away from this carcass.

Around 20 individuals including a mother-calf pair were observed during line transect surveys.

Washed ashore at Betim. Source Terraconscious and Drishti life guards. Submitted data to Forest dept.

Carcass washed ashore at Versova beach. Reported by Afroze Shah. The carcass was buried after being checked by forest officials as reported by Afroze Shah.

Juvenile spinner dolphin male. No other details available.

Female dugong washed ashore in Palk Bay, Ammapattinam, Pudukottai District. Total length was 9.7ft

Carcass was first observed on the evening of 22nd April 2018 by fishermen. Stranding reported on the 23rd of April 2018. Carcass condition: Code 4. Total length: 2.41 m. Skin and tooth samples collected. Sex could not be determined. Species confirmation: tooth count and morphological characters.Dorsal fin was bent under the body.

Without head Dugong, Calf Washed Ashore in Ammapattinam, Pudukkottai district on 29th March 2018.
Weight ~ 60Kg

Morphometric measurements available with the Forest Dept. Found at Cavelosim beach.

N. phocaenoides was probably brought ashore in a gill net craft at about 1600 hrs on 5th April 2018. Total length: 165.1 cm. Sex: Male. External examination: Code 2; Eyes appeared bloodshot, wound around the body just behind the head from being entangled in the net; 3 to 4 surface wounds resembling rake marks on the right lateral side of the body behind the flipper. At the point where the right flipper joined the body, a slight superficial notch like wound was observed no bleeding. Internal examination: Haemolysis in the muscle had just begun; Presence of foam in the lungs; Partially digested fish remains found in the stomach; no other signs of injury to internal organs.

A group of Dugongs sighted in Arthur channel, off Sir Hugh rose island.

Carcass was fresh. Its skin has peeled off in places. Carcass is of a juvenile animal less than a year old as foetal curves are still visible.

Adult dugong spotted 500m off Bharatpur beach, Neil Island.

Found in a decomposed state during turtle walks at Ururkuppam by Raghuraman R
Several injuries and/or bite marks on the body. COD unknown. Sample collected by SSTCN.

Carcass floating in code 3. sample collected and in wii.

An individual was observed breaching twice with its belly facing the observer platform. Seemed like it was trying to stun a school of fish. There were also seen two ring seines in the vicinity of the animal.

single individual either a young male or a female, found in association with a fishing vessel - fishermen took a video

A pod of about 100 Fraser's dolphins were observed in a mixed species group with Short-finned Pilot whales in South Andaman. The observations were made during ferry based surveys.

Carcass was burnt and discoloured, severely decomposed and with a rupture around the anus. Its internal organs were visible. Its tongue was swollen which could be a sign of asphyxiation.

Washed ashore in a decomposed state. Approx 40ft long. Newspaper clipping attached.

a Spinner Dlophin was reported to have washed ashore dead

4 Irrawaddy dolphins

Dugong sighted twice near Aquarium dive site, Neil island. 11.84467 N,93.02892
E

No description.

3m long and 750Kg - adult dolphin - COD unknown. - washed ashore on Beach road, Puducherry

Group size estimates available and photographs available

A fresh carcass of a female finless porpoise almost 3ft in length washed ashore in Manamelkudi MPS, Limit Athipatinam village. Pictures attached. Some surface wounds visible on the lower jaw. No further data available.

Male, Net scars found, Might be drowned to death by fishing net. Total length = 3.2m, About 350 kg.

A mal finless porpoise washed ashore in Dumas on August 31st 2017. Measurements have been taken by Prayas Nature Club. Photographs attached.

Body length, sex of the individual and other details could not be recorded before BMC buried the same. Photographs attached.

Finless porpoise stranded in Karde. Length approx. 106 cm.

approx 7ft long. found floating by the FD. brought ashore by them. curved measurements and samples collected WII. Due to its short stubby beak and absence of spots on the belly, this is most probably a Tursiops truncatus or Common Bottlenose dolphin

A Stenella species. No details available. Found in Kanakadurga beach, south of Very Palam Villagem Mogaturu. A news article in Telugu translated by Pooja Gupta. Fishermen said that 6 months ago, 2 dolphins were found in a similar condition here. Probably due to pollution or rough sea conditions or ship strikes with oil carriers is what fishers said.

Found washed ashore near Ervadi, Valinokkam. Sample with WII. Forest Dept staff was there.

Young Sousa plumbea Indian Ocean humpback dolphin stranded in Dahanu, North Maharashtra on the 23rd July 2017. The animal was identified based on images. No other details were obtained

Severely bloated and discoloured, with some parts of the fins torn and intestine coming out of the body.
Forest Department buried it without doing a post mortem

Seen in May 2015

Small group of large dolphins. Size 2+ meters in length. Shy and dived when approached. In small groups. Only exposed back and dorsal fin. Seemed to be hunting as Tuna were present in the area along with smaller bait and flying fish.
Note from MMI: Most probably Spinner dolphins