WWF reports first sperm whale sighting off Karachi coast
The 45-foot animal was recorded on video 40 nautical miles southwest of the city, the first documented record of the species in Pakistani waters.
A sperm whale measuring 45 feet, or about 13.7 metres, has been recorded 40 nautical miles southwest of Karachi, a distance of roughly 74 kilometres, the World Wide Fund for Nature said. WWF described it as the first documented sighting of the species in Pakistani waters.
Zahid Maker, a WWF board member, spotted the animal during a sea expedition and video footage was recorded showing its distinct physical features, ARY News reported. Geo News also carried the sighting and built its report around the footage. The reports did not say when the expedition took place, how long the whale stayed near the vessel, or whether photographs were taken for identification.
Before this record, 26 species of whales and dolphins had been documented in Pakistani waters, according to WWF. The sperm whale was not among them. Species of toothed whales have been recorded along the Pakistani coastline earlier as well.
ARY News reported that sperm whales are known for diving to great depths in search of food.
No statement from Sindh's wildlife department or the federal ministry of climate change appeared in the reports, and WWF did not say what follow-up, if any, is planned after the sighting.
Fishermen's nets, collisions with ships and marine pollution remain severe threats to marine species in Pakistani waters, WWF said. The organisation listed the three as continuing risks to the whales and dolphins recorded off the coast.
How the reports differ
Geo News led its headline with the footage, under the word "WATCH", and placed "first time" in quotation marks. ARY News led with the WWF attribution and the 45-foot measurement, and named Zahid Maker as the person who spotted the whale. Both outlets gave the same length, the same location and the same first-sighting claim.
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