Study Whale strandings on Indias southwest coast have spiked
A recent study from ICAR-CMFRI shows whale strandings along India's southwest coast have jumped sharply in the last decade.
The annual rate went from just 0.3% (2003-2013) to 3% (2014-2023), with researchers pointing to changes in ocean conditions and human activities as big reasons why.
Bryde's whales are stranded most often
Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa are the main hotspots—likely because of busy shipping lanes, fishing, and shallow waters.
Bryde's whales are stranded most often, though blue whales show up too.
The study also found that more chlorophyll-a and warmer sea surface temperatures seem linked to these incidents.
Just between August and November 2023, nine whales were stranded—prompting calls for better conservation tools like real-time alerts and marine megafauna conservation networks to help protect these gentle giants.