Mumbai: Porpoise washes ashore at Juhu beach, foul play unlikely

A three-foot-long sub-adult finless porpoise washed ashore at Juhu beach on Tuesday afternoon. A detailed post-mortem was carried out at the site after which the mammal was buried.

Pawan Sharma, founder of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) NGO said he received a phone call from a visitor about the dead porpoise. “I immediately alerted the marine respondent group, which has marine experts and NGO members who informed me that they were going to the site to check on the case,” he said.

Soon Ketki Jog, a researcher with the Konkan Cetacean Research Team (KCRT), and veterinarian Dr Neha Shah reached Juhu, and in coordination with the Mangrove Cell carried out a basic post-mortem.

“Since the carcass was fresh, we decided to conduct a post-mortem to check if the death was due to ingestion of any foreign object or due to injury, but nothing such was found, after which the carcass was buried,” Shah said.

Meanwhile, Jog said the porpoise had some external bruises, which were most likely caused by being dragged by the waves. “The reason for the death could be natural or because it was washed ashore. However, it’s important that such incidents are being reported from all across the city and its adjoining areas, which will be very crucial for us in the next 5-10 years,” she said.

Officials from the mangrove cell said over 32 incidents of marine mammals being stranded have been reported this monsoon.

MEET THE PORPOISE

• The finless porpoise are shy creatures that stay close to the shore.
   
• Major threats come from human disturbance.
   
• The finless porpoise was listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the IUCN in 2008.