Whale strandings in Indonesia, including the first record of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Archipelago

Abstract

The paper presents whale stranding records in Indonesia from 1987 to 2007. Most identified stranding species were sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), followed by short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). In total, almost half of all stranding events involved unidentified cetaceans, indicating the need of more training on proper procedures of managing stranded whales and dolphins. Yet, despite an insufficient stranding network in the country, there was a well-recorded stranding of a young humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) on 2 and 9 October 2007 in Bali, Indonesia. Colouration of the upper side of the pectoral fin, calf length and time of stranding suggest that the calf belonged to a Southern Hemisphere population, possibly Australia's. The humpback whale stranding in Bali was the one of the first recorded incidences of the species' presence in the Archipelago, hence signifying the importance of a good stranding network in Indonesia. © National University of Singapore.