Giant sperm whale washed ashore on Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram beach

The carcass of an 18-feet-long, one-toed sperm whale washed ashore on Atrankarai near Alakankulam in Ramanathapuram district, on Sunday.

Forest officials later buried it on the beach after conducting an autopsy. Oil and wax products were found from the upper jaw and small intestine of the whale, which are used to make medicine.

Forest officials are investigating the matter to confirm whether it was hunted to dispatch the drug, or was it unable to swim towards the deep seas after being wounded on the rocks.

Sathish, Forest Officer, said, "The whale species, an 18-foot-long, one sperm whale, washed ashore on Atrankarai seashore near Alangankulam in Ramanathapuram district. These are less common in the Palkpay and the Gulf of Mannar, and only four have been seen in the past four years."

He added, "It is wrong to catch such rare creatures. It violates the 1972 Wildlife Protection Act, under which imprisonment ranges from 3 years to 7 years. Therefore, when such fish are found in the sea, I request the fishermen to inform the forest department and take steps to save the fish."