Dolphins and whales continue to wash ashore on Alappuzha coast

The Hindu

25-06-2025

In less than a month, five marine mammal carcasses - four dolphins and two whales - have washed ashore on the Alappuzha coast, sparking concern among authorities and researchers.
The latest were found at Challi, near Punnapra, where two dead dolphins were found on June 23 and 24. The carcasses were buried following autopsies.
On May 28, the carcass of a dolphin washed ashore near the Valiyazheekkal beach. Two days later, another dead dolphin was found at Pathiyankara. Two dead whales were found at Purakkad on June 14 and 17.
The repeated washing ashore of whales and dolphins has raised alarm amid growing concerns over marine pollution following the sinking of the Liberian-flagged cargo ship MSC Elsa 3 off the Thotappally coast in Alappuzha on May 25 and a fire on board the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503 off the Kannur coast earlier this month following an explosion. The two incidents have sparked fears of potential oil spills and chemical contamination, as some containers aboard MSC Elsa 3 and others that fell overboard from MV Wan Hai 503 are believed to contain hazardous materials.
B.R. Jayan, Range Forest Officer, Ranni Range, said they were awaiting forensic examination reports to identify the exact cause of death of the dolphins and whales. Mr. Jayan said that nothing suspicious had been found in the post-mortem examinations.
The preliminary assessment by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), following the ship accidents, found no significant changes in the water quality or species composition of the region.
Ratheesh Kumar R., Senior Scientist at the CMFRI, said the possibility of a direct link between the deaths of dolphins and whales and the shipwreck was very low.
'The sea is very rough. Dolphins and whales use echolocation to navigate. The turbulence in the water can interfere with their communication. This may prevent them from detecting ships, increasing the chances of collisions. The carcasses of dolphins and whales that die in the open sea are often washed ashore, depending on wind direction. Though our primary assumption is that the deaths are not related to the shipwreck, we are not completely ruling it out. We are conducting studies to determine if there is any connection,' said Mr. Ratheesh.
Following the capsizing of MSC Elsa 3 on May 26, containers from the vessel drifted ashore along the Alappuzha, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari coasts. Similarly, a container and a lifeboat from MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire on June 9, washed ashore in Alappuzha last week.