Large whales sighted off Phuket
A small group of large whales was sighted between Koh Racha and Koh Hey, south west of Phuket, on Sunday.
Experts believe they might have been baleen whales – either Bryde’s or Omuras.
A video clip of three marine mammals in a small pod has been shared in a LINE group, Coral Restoration, which is an Andaman Sea conservation network, with a message reading “At Koh Racha-Koh Hey we met a family of whales. Tourists were very happy.”
Patcharapohn Kaewmong, a veterinarian at the Phuket Marine Biological Centre, said on Monday: “The video was recorded on Sunday. After checking the video clip, we are not sure if they were Bryde’s whales or Omura whales. Marine specialists went out in search of the whales, but we have not found them since the sightings captured on video.”
“Tour boat operators and fishermen have been asked to inform us if and when they find the whales again. They have also been asked not to approach or disturb the whales,” the vet added.
Source: thethaiger.com