Whale sightings occur one after another in Osaka Bay. Approximately 12m long. Could it be the same sperm whale?

There have been a number of whale sightings in Osaka Bay this month, and on the morning of the 26th, a whale was seen swimming near the surface of the ocean near the mouth of the Yamato River in Osaka Bay. Osaka Prefecture is calling on ships sailing to be careful to avoid accidental contact with the whale, as it is highly likely that it is the same sperm whale.

At around 7:45 a.m. on the 26th, a fisheries enforcement boat from the Osaka Prefectural Fisheries Division, which was patrolling the area, spotted a whale swimming near the sea surface near the mouth of the Yamato River in Osaka Bay.

According to Osaka Prefecture, it is approximately 12 meters long and is believed to be a male sperm whale.

Images taken from above by an NHK helicopter around 4 p.m. on the 26th showed the fish swimming slowly near the sea surface, spewing out tides from time to time.

Since the 12th of this month, there have been a number of whale sightings in Osaka Bay off the coast of Sakai City and Kishiwada City, and Osaka Prefecture says there is a high possibility that it is the same whale.

Osaka Prefecture is calling on ships navigating Osaka Bay to be careful to avoid accidents involving contact with whales.

Osaka prefecture holds countermeasures meeting

In response to a series of whale sightings in Osaka Bay, Osaka Prefecture held a countermeasures meeting on the 26th, with Governor Yoshimura also in attendance.

At the meeting, a prefectural official explained the progress of whale sightings and other information.

According to this report, on the 12th of this month, information was received that a whale was swimming near the coastline between Nishinomiya City and Ashiya City, and on the 17th of this month, whales were reported to be swimming off the coast of Kishiwada City and Takaishi City. ▼On the 22nd of this month, they were confirmed swimming in Amagasaki Port and the western waters of Yumeshima and Maishima in Osaka.

On the 23rd, 24th, and 26th of this month, the whales were confirmed to be swimming at the Sakai Port Nishidomari area in Sakai City, near the mouth of the Yamato River in Osaka Bay. In addition to gathering information on the incident, we confirmed that we would be issuing warnings to prevent ships from coming into contact with the area.

Additionally, since there is a possibility that the whale is weakened, the prefecture is also considering what to do in the event that the whale dies.