GWADAR: In an exciting discovery for marine life in the region, four Bryde’s whales have been spotted off the coast of Gwadar, according to WWF Pakistan.
The global conservation organisation reported that the whales were seen near Demi Zur by local fishermen, who promptly reported the sighting. The initiative is part of WWF Pakistan’s ‘Citizen Science’ programme, which encourages fishermen and the public to share their observations of marine animals to aid research.
A rare sighting off the coast of Gwadar!
Earlier today, a group of four Bryde’s whales was seen near Gwadar (Demi Zur) by local fishers, who immediately reported the sighting to WWF-Pakistan as part of our citizen science initiative.
The whales were spotted by a fishing boat… pic.twitter.com/wve4GqUOPl
— WWF-Pakistan (@WWFPak) October 23, 2025
The boat’s captain, Amir Dad Karim, first noticed movement in the sea about five kilometres from his fishing area. Upon moving closer, he identified a group of baleen whales, which experts later confirmed to be the rare Bryde’s whales. It is believed the whales were moving towards coastal waters in search of food.
WWF Pakistan explained that the Bryde’s whale is one of the large baleen whales found in Pakistani seas, alongside the blue whale and the Arabian humpback whale. The species lives in warm oceans and primarily feeds on small, schooling fish, which are plentiful along Pakistan’s coast.
The organisation noted that Bryde’s whales are classified as “Data Deficient” on the international conservation red list, meaning there is insufficient information about their population status. They are protected under Pakistani wildlife and fisheries laws.
“This rare sighting reminds us of the incredible marine life in Pakistan’s coastal waters and that we must preserve them for future generations,” WWF Pakistan stated. The organisation is building a national data bank through its Citizen Science project to collect more information on whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
