LOOK!

Picture by Sopaka Karunasundera

A picture speaks a thousand words. This incredible but deeply saddening photograph was taken by Sopaka Karunasundera a Marine Pilot with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority on the 20th of March 2012. The whale was wrapped on the bow of the CMA CGM Quartz that arrived in Colombo from Chennai. The ship's staff were unaware of the carcass until the pilot sighted the whale while boarding the vessel for berthing.

This is just one incident. Undoubtedly there are many more that go unrecorded. Many times I have anxiously watched the blue whales on our south coast weave in and out of the heavy shipping traffic within our shipping lanes. I have seen near misses and in some cases I doubt very much that the whale escaped in time.

Here's a link to an old story about our south coast being one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. http://whalessrilanka.blogspot.com/2011/10/global-shipping-traffic-in-prime-blue.html 

Good quality science is key to making a difference and protecting these incredible creatures. Follow this blog to find out more about our efforts to protect these great ocean giants.