Biologists are investigating the cause of death of a whale found in a tropical rainforest in Brazil.
The carcass of the humpback whale, measuring 11 meters long and weighing 10 tons, was discovered on February 22nd in the forest on Marajó Island, Pará state.
A team of biologists from the non-governmental organization Bicho D’água is on its way to Marajó Island to determine the cause of death and how the animal’s carcass ended up 15 meters inland from the coastline.
The whale carcass found in the Brazilian rainforest. (Photo: Instagram)
The initial hypothesis suggests that the whale died at sea and was then washed ashore by rising tides.
“There are no visible wounds on the whale’s body at first glance. Therefore, we need to determine the cause of the whale’s death,” said Dirlene Silva, a local official.
The whale is estimated to be about one year old. (Photo: Focus on News).
The Maritime Herald speculated that the whale may have died from ingesting marine plastic. According to biologists from Bicho D’água, it is highly unusual for a humpback whale to appear on the northern coast of Brazil, as they typically frequent this area from August to November each year.
“We believe that the 12-month-old whale was migrating to Antarctica with its mother and several other whales but became lost or separated from the group,” said Renata Emin, a member of Bicho D’água.
