The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) continues to monitor the white Omura’s whale sighted in the Andaman Sea through environmental DNA (eDNA) collection.
Dr. Pinsak Suraswadi, the Director-General of the DMCR said that the DMCR conducted surveillance on the whale found between the Phi Phi Islands and Koh Yao Yai in Krabi province, confirming it to be a rare white Omura’s whale with a single defined ridge on the front of its head.
They collected samples from the environment, measured its length, studied its behavior and recorded images for identification.
They employed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology to enhance efficiency in the survey. The marine animal was first spotted off Phi Phi Island on January 4 by a person on a tour boat, called Happy Ours Phuket.
The authorities requested cooperation from operators of fishing boats and tour boats in the area to increase caution in boat navigation, reduce speed, and follow guidelines for observing the whale to prevent harm to the animal.
The Omura’s whale is a protected species under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act of 2019. It can be found in the eastern part of the Indian Ocean and the western part of the Pacific Ocean. In Thailand, they have been sighted in the waters of Ranong, the Similan Islands, Surin Islands in Phang Nga and Phuket provinces. -819 (TNA)
