Bangkok: In a remarkable discovery, the world’s rarest whale, an all-white Omura’s whale, has been sighted off the coast of Thailand. Captured on film for only the second time in history, this extraordinary event unfolded in the Andaman Sea, near Phuket.
Tourists aboard a charter boat near Phuket were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle when they encountered a pair of rare Omura’s whales, one of which was completely white. The breathtaking footage of this unique all-white creature was shared with environmental conservation organization ThaiWhales and local authorities, who hailed it as a groundbreaking marine discovery.
According to Thon Thamrongnawasawat from ThaiWhales, it marks the first recorded sighting of an all-white Omura’s whale in Thailand. Despite efforts by Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources to locate the rare animal, it remained elusive. However, during the search, officials managed to observe at least four other Omura’s whales in the vicinity, feeding and swimming near popular destinations like the Phi Phi Islands, Coral Island, and Honeymoon Island.
Omura’s whales, identified as a distinct species in 2003, possess unique characteristics such as long, slender bodies resembling snakes, a small and curved dorsal fin, and a single ridge on their heads. With lengths of up to 40 feet and weights of 44,000 pounds, these whales typically inhabit tropical and warm seas.
Despite their distinctive features, scientists still have limited knowledge about Omura’s whales, including their population size, distribution, and variations in appearance. This recent sighting in Thailand contributes to ongoing efforts to understand these elusive marine creatures.
