Blue Whale Carcass Whale washed Ashore on Smith Island Beach of Diglipur

Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, March 03: A young blue whale measuring 12.2 meter long was washed ashore dead on Smith Island Beach of Diglipur on 2nd March 2022.
As per report, Dr. Bhojane Nagnath Martand, Senior Veterinary Officer, i/c Veterinary Hospital, Diglipur conducted the post mortem examination of the carcass of this endangered sea mammal on 02/03/2022 itself on the official request of the Range Officer, WildLife Range Kalara, Diglipur.
As per post mortem examination report, 03 cut wounds on the right ventral aspect of neck region were noticed on the body. Post mortem report further revealed that the carcass was showing post mortem ballooning resulting into rupture of skin at right side tail region and oozing of black whitish oily fluid indicating putrefactive changes in internal organs while mouth was widely open, no teeth and protruded ballooned esophageal part through mouth was seen. Left side fin and tail were completely rotten and the skin part completely detached.
Internal examination revealed that both the ventricles were empty and black coloured while lungs, liver and other vital organs were in black in colour indicating highly putrefied. Intestines were ballooned and blackening and highly putrefied.
A conclusion drawn from the examination details and analysis of the visceral lesions that the blue whale possibly might have died due to severe haemorrhage leading to hypovolemic shock and cardio-respiratory failure.
The wild life and territorial staff of the Forest Dept. then cut the carcass into pieces and buried them in a deep trench to finally dispose of the dead whale, the source said.