UNAIR NEWS – On Wednesday, April 5, 2023, a sperm whale stranded at Yeh Malet Beach, Antiga Kelod Village, Manggis Sub-district, Karangasem Regency, Bali. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and local residents had managed to bring the sperm whale into the sea alive, but the whale was stranded again and died.
The Denpasar Coastal and Marine Resources Management Center (BPSPL) team went to the scene shortly after receiving the report. Responding to this, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FKH) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) sent a team. The team from FKH consisted of drh Bilqisthi Ari Putra MSi, four co-assistant students, and two undergraduate students.
drh Bilqisthi, the head of the medical team, said that the team used heavy equipment for the autopsy and burial process. The autopsy results showed the sperm whale weighed more than 10 tons, was 17.6 meters long with an arch length of 18.2 meters, and was a male.
Sample collection
The initial results of the autopsy showed that the whale had several abnormalities. “There was lung bleeding, intestinal bleeding, and there were indications of diarrhea before death,” she explained.
The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine lecturer added that there was food in the intestines, but the stomach was empty. The team estimated that the sperm whale last ate 24 hours earlier. “There were also worms in the stomach and intestines which were confirmed to be nematode types,” explained drh Bilqisthi on Friday, April 7, 2023.
Furthermore, to ascertain the causes of the stranding and death of the whale, there will be sampling for further tests at the FKH UNAIR Pathology Laboratory. “Several samples include teeth, stomach, intestines, lungs, testicles, nerves, skin and blood. It is estimated that the examination results will come out within 14 working days, “ she said.
The deployment of this team was a follow-up to the Denpasar BPSPL letter sent to the Dean of Veterinary Medicine, Prof. Dr. Mirni Lamid drh MP. Existing samples will be examined properly, and the results will be announced to the public after completion.
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine often deploys a team to respond to various animal phenomena. Some of these phenomena include the death of a dog in the Mandalika Circuit, the stranding of a whale in Bangkalan, a fish bomb in Banyuwangi, a turtle rescue on Lusi Island, and many more. (*)
Author: Icha Nur Imami Puspita
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
