A group of Thai scientists has reported the sighting of a whale suspected to be an Omura whale in the waters of Koh He, Thailand. This species is notoriously elusive, often avoiding human contact.
Associate Professor Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine biologist and lecturer at Kasetsart University in Thailand, stated that the suspected Omura whale was seen swimming near Koh He beach in Phuket province.
The white whale captured by tourists is suspected to be the rare Omura whale – (Image taken from video).
This could potentially be the first time they have appeared in the Land of Smiles and in proximity to humans worldwide.
The Omura whale is often confused with the Bryde’s whale (a common whale species that was spotted in Binh Dinh waters on August 18, 2022).
However, on his personal Facebook page, Thamrongnawasawat is nearly certain that this is an Omura whale.
The professor pointed out the differences between the two whale species. He noted that the Omura whale has a distinct ridge at the front of its head, while the Bryde’s whale features three ridges.
According to Thamrongnawasawat, the Omura whale primarily inhabits the waters of Southeast Asia and the southern seas of Japan.
Scientists worldwide have yet to gather extensive information about this whale species, as they tend to avoid human interaction. Researchers mistook the Omura whale for the Bryde’s whale for decades until it was identified as a distinct species.
Currently, there is very little footage and information available on the Omura whale. The last time scientists captured footage of this creature was in 2016.
Thai marine experts say that the Omura whale is “twice as rare” as other whale species, with a sighting probability of 1 in 10 million or more.
Yutthapong Damsrisuk, head of Hat Nopparat Thara-Ko Phi Phi National Park (Thailand), reported that a group of tourists visiting the site spotted a 7-meter-long white whale suspected to be an Omura.
Thai authorities are working to verify the whale’s identity, encouraging local tour boats and fishing vessels to limit their activities near the area where the Omura whale was sighted.
