A head-on collision with a speeding ferry left a humpback whale severely injured and in agony, ultimately leading to its death hours later.
(Video: Sea Shepherd).
The female whale, nicknamed Sweet Girl, was struck by a ferry traveling at six times the allowed speed while swimming near a port in Tahiti on October 8, according to the wildlife organization Sea Shepherd. Subsequent underwater photos taken by divers revealed that the whale’s upper jaw was severed, with blood spurting from the wound. Sweet Girl drowned after several hours of suffering. The ferry was traveling at 55.6 km/h through the port, while the speed limit was set at 9.3 km/h.
Dr. Agnès Benet, founder of the marine conservation organization Mata Tohora, stated that the whale died shortly after their staff arrived at the scene. It drowned due to the impact from the collision, particularly from the fractures in its nasal bones. Both Mata Tohora and Sea Shepherd have filed a complaint with local authorities, demanding an investigation into the regulatory violations. They are also calling for witnesses to come forward with testimonies.
In a video shared by Sea Shepherd, a trail of blood can be seen extending from the open wound in the whale’s mouth as it attempted to surface for air. The young humpback whale emitted painful cries. Rachel Moore, an underwater photographer who encountered Sweet Girl just four days before its death, remarked that the whale’s mouth had been severely deformed.
Humpback whale in pain from injuries caused by ferry collision.
Every year, approximately 20,000 whales die worldwide. There are about 3,200 humpback whales residing around the islands of Tahiti, with an estimated 80,000 in oceans across the globe. Whale watching is a significant source of income in the region, and authorities have implemented various measures to promote sustainable tourism and protect these marine mammals. In April, they established a safety distance of 100 meters between boats and whales.
However, environmental organizations and scientists criticize the surge in whale watching activities. According to Mata Tohora, there are too many boats on the water. “We need to limit the number of boats around whales and dolphins,” emphasized Agnès Benet, a biologist at Mata Tohora.
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are a large species of baleen whale. They typically range in length from 12 to 16 meters and can weigh up to about 36 tons. Humpback whales have a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. Their diet consists mainly of plankton and fish.
