KARACHI: A rare 45-foot-long sperm whale has been sighted about 40 nautical miles southwest of Karachi, drawing fresh attention to the rich marine life of Pakistan’s offshore waters and to the need to protect it, WWF-Pakistan said on Friday.
The whale was encountered during an expedition by Zahid Maker, a Board Member of WWF-Pakistan. It is the first recorded observation of a sperm whale along the Sindh coast. Earlier sightings had been reported only from the Balochistan coast. Footage of the encounter shows the species’ characteristic blowhole, distinctive skin markings and prominent hump.
The Arabian Sea is home to a wide range of marine life, including several species of whales and dolphins that help keep marine ecosystems healthy. These animals, however, face growing threats from entanglement in fishing gear, vessel strikes and marine pollution.
Commenting on the sighting, Rab Nawaz, Senior Director at WWF-Pakistan, said: “Pakistan’s waters support an extraordinary diversity of marine life, much of which remains poorly understood and documented. Sightings of large whales such as the sperm whale remind us of the ecological importance of our offshore waters and the need to protect the habitats and food chains that sustain these species. Safeguarding marine biodiversity requires stronger conservation measures, responsible fishing practices and collective action to reduce the pressures on marine ecosystems.”
Sperm whales feed mainly on cephalopods, including medium-size, giant and colossal squids, as well as octopuses. Pakistan’s coastal and offshore waters support healthy populations of these species. They include the purple back flying squid and the diamondback squid, both of which form part of the sperm whale’s diet.
The whales are also deep divers. They typically descend between 300 and 800 metres and, in some cases, reach depths of one to two kilometres in search of food. Pakistan’s deep-sea ecosystems support a diverse range of mesopelagic organisms, which contribute to these marine food webs.
WWF-Pakistan has so far documented 26 species of cetaceans in the country. They include large whales such as the blue whale, Bryde’s whale and the Arabian Sea humpback whale, along with several species of toothed whales and dolphins. Through its research and monitoring, WWF-Pakistan has also documented
several toothed whale species in Pakistani waters for the first time.
Encounters like this offer a glimpse of the remarkable biodiversity of Pakistan’s seas and underline the importance of sustained research, monitoring and conservation. WWF-Pakistan says that sustainable fishing practices and responsible human activity are essential if whales, dolphins and other marine species are to continue thriving in the Arabian Sea.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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