On Tuesday, February 25th, a humpback whale was found washed ashore off the coast of Al Jazer, on the Arabian Sea coast of Oman. A joint team of investigators from the Environment Authority (EA) and Future Seas traveled to the scene to collect data and measurements from the dead whale. Support was provided by the Royal Oman Police, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, and the Governorate office of Al Jazer.
Photographs of the dead whale’s tail fluke were compared with photos of live whales in the Oman Humpback Whale Photo-identification catalogue, curated by the Environment Society of Oman. The whale was identified as OM02-020, nicknamed ‘Joshi’. Although the carcass was somewhat degraded, and the original colouring of the tail fluke had been worn away, it was possible to match distinctive features on the trailing edge of the tail fluke to the photographs taken of the whale over the past 23 years . The image below demonstrates how the distinctive features highlighted in red, green, blue and yellow on the upper photo taken on the beach in Al Jazer, and the lower photo, taken during research in Dhofar in 2015, were used to make a positive identification.
Joshi was first photographed during a dedicated whale survey in the southern end of the Gulf of Masirah in November 2002, only a few kilometers from where he eventually washed ashore dead. He was one of the most regularly observed whales during dedicated humpback whale surveys since that time. Genetic analysis of biopsy samples taken of the whale, as well as anatomical evidence on examination of the carcass indicate that the whale was a male. He was satellite tagged in February 2014 by ESO and was last seen – and recorded singing – while in apparently healthy condition during the EA-hosted humpback whale survey that was conducted in December 2023.
Joshi was one of fewer than 100 Arabian Sea humpback whales remaining off the coast of Oman. Initial investigations did not identify any obvious external signs of what could have caused the whale’s death. However, previous studies in Oman and of other humpback whale populations around the world indicate that entanglement in fishing gear and ship strikes are the two most significant causes of injury and mortality to the species. Samples collected from the stranding have been delivered to Sultan Qaboos University for further analysis.
Joshi was a great whale that gave so much to science, demonstrating the enormous value of long-term monitoring of this Endangered subpopulation. His recorded songs and regular sightings have contributed to our understanding of the cultural transmission of song across the population, the population’s most important feeding and breeding areas, and its overall health. Regularly seen with other individuals off the coast of Oman it was apparent he had his own social network of whales that will suffer from his absence, particularly within such a small population. However, there is still much more to be gained from the samples and data he has gifted us. The team is keen to find funds for a whole genome analysis of genetic samples collected from Joshi and other whales, and to preserve and display his skeleton as a scientific reference for his this population and as a public monument that will provide platform for education.
Click here to watch a moving tribute compiled by the environment Society of Oman.
A photo taken of the dead whale’s tail fluke on the beach was compared with photos of live whales in the Oman humpback whale Photo-Identification catalogue. Unique features on the trailing edge of the fluke enabled the team to recognise the whale as OM02-020, nicknamed Joshi.
A team from the Environment Authority and Future Seas traveled to the site of the stranding to collect valuable data, samples and measurements from the stranded whale.
When observed at sea, it is not often possible to appreciate just how big humpback whales are. In this photo, Dr. Andrew Willson, says a final good-bye to Joshi, the first Arabian Sea humpback whale that he encountered when he joined humpback whale surveys in Oman in 2002. This first sighting of Joshi inspired Dr. Willson”s career path and PhD studies, which focused on Arabian Sea humpback whales in Oman
