The Taiwan Cetacean Society recently reported a significant marine mammal stranding event in Taiwan. In early March, a 10.5-meter-long cetacean was found stranded on Turtle Island, and after investigation and sampling, it was confirmed to be a long-finned pilot whale, the second-largest ocean mammal globally. This marks the first time a complete long-finned pilot whale has been recorded in Taiwan's stranding history.
Background
On February 12, a large whale was spotted drifting off the coast of Yilan's Toucheng Daxi Fishing Port. The association immediately dispatched personnel to survey the scene and captured valuable footage using drones. The whale was estimated to be over 10 meters long, and its skin showed no significant peeling, suggesting it had died recently. However, the whale did not strand as expected the next day, and the incident was initially closed.
Discovery and Identification
On March 3, a member of the public reported a large cetacean stranded on the north side of Turtle Island's Turtle Lake (Turtle Pond). Due to safety concerns, the site was inaccessible by land. On March 27, with assistance from the Ocean Conservation Administration and other units, the association successfully landed on the island and collected samples from the stranded whale.
Upon measurement, the whale was confirmed to be 10.5 meters long. The association determined it was a young individual due to the incomplete fusion of its spinal growth plates. The sex could not be confirmed. Several vertebrae showed fractures, but it was unclear whether these occurred before or after death. The entire skeleton was extracted and transported to a higher location, and skin and muscle samples were collected and sent to Dr. Yao Chiu-ru at the National Museum of Natural Science for examination.
Confirmation and Significance
On April 2, the species was confirmed as a long-finned pilot whale, marking the first complete specimen of this species to be recorded in Taiwan's stranding history. Long-finned pilot whales are the second-largest ocean mammals, with mature individuals reaching lengths of 22 to 23 meters and weighing about 40 to 50 tons. They are listed as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List. Taiwan is at the southern boundary of the North Pacific population's distribution.
