Rare sighting: Whale ‘spends’ Raya in Kudat waters

 

A aerial photo of the whale taken by a drone - Photo credit Dr Arthur Jackson

KOTA KINABALU: Tourism operators and tourists in Sabah’s northern Kudat district were treated to a rare occasion when a whale turned up near its shores at Simpang Mengayau, popularly known as the Tip of Borneo.

Local dive operator Ivan Tan said he and his friends had spotted the mammal since the eve of Hari Raya on Friday (April 21).

“We sighted it some 500m from the beach. We were on the hill of the Tip of Borneo when we spotted it,” he said when contacted on Tuesday (April 25).

“It has actually also been sighted in Sikuati, some 45 minutes’ boat ride from Simpang Mengayau.

“But people have seen it from the shore or the chalets on the beachside,” he added.

Tan said this was the first ever time a whale came calling to the Tip of Borneo since he started operating there six years ago.

“We’ve seen it in Sikuati but that was many years ago. But truly this is a rare appearance as villagers who have been here for decades said they have seldom seen a whale there.

“We are not sure what is the type of whale but we estimate it to be 20ft in length or longer.

“The only way to know these details is by taking photos of the whale and sending them to experts who can hopefully identify its type,” said the 50-year-old.

Tan said they were also unsure where the whale came from or why it was in Kudat.

“Maybe it’s because of food. A group of snorkellers told us that they saw a trail of squids and black ink in the water where the whale was spotted.

“We are going to monitor and keep track of the whale until it leaves,” he said.

Marine Research Foundation’s Dr Nicolas Pilcher said it could be a Byrde’s whale.

“See the top of the head? It has a main rostrum line going down to the forehead, and then one on either side.

“We saw one off Mantanani Island in 2009,” he said, referring to an island off the Kota Belud district, also in the northern region of Sabah.

Pilcher said it was not common for the whale to turn up in Kudat.

“In fact, not common off Sabah at all. The stranded one many years ago (off Kota Kinabalu) was this species.

“Why is it in Kudat? No telling, confused maybe. But it is uncommon for it to be there,” he said. - Star