GWADAR: A rare group of Bryde’s whales has been spotted near the Gwadar coast, marking the first sighting since November 2023, when these whales were last seen in Jiwani, Balochistan.
The whales were observed by a fishing boat, captained by Amir Dad Karim, which was operating in the Gwadar (Demi Zur) area for sardine gillnetting at 9 a.m. on October 23, 2025. The group was noticed on the calm sea’s surface, at least 5 kilometers north of the fishing point. Upon closer inspection, the fishermen identified the creatures as Bryde’s whales.
According to WWF-Pakistan, the presence of the whales near the surface suggests they were likely traveling toward coastal waters, possibly to feed. The organization added that there are several recorded sightings of Bryde’s whales in Pakistan, with the most recent being in Jiwani, Balochistan, in November 2023, where a dead whale was found near the Pakistan-Iran border. Another Bryde’s whale sighting occurred in Bandri near Jiwani in May 2023.
Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor for WWF-Pakistan, explained that Bryde’s whales are typically found in warm, temperate oceans, including the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. “These whales feed on schooling fish such as sardines, anchovies, and mackerels, which are abundant along Pakistan’s coast,” he noted.
Rab Nawaz, Senior Director of Biodiversity at WWF-Pakistan, commended the efforts of fishermen and the general public, whose observations through citizen science are greatly contributing to understanding and protecting Pakistan’s marine ecosystem.
