Sperm Whale Muscat

Along with the recent cool (very cold if you live in Muscat) weather we had another unexpected visitor.

Sperm Whale Muscat
Sperm Whale Muscat

Stranded on a beach just west of Mina Sultan Qaboos a dead juvenile Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) – ‘Moby-Dick’ became the talk of many in Muscat. Probably the deepest diving mammal, the waters off Muscat are an idea habitat for this whale, but rarely is it seen near the coast.
The municipality had a task to haul the animal on the beach to dispose of it. Scientists were able to take skin samples for analysis but unfortunately, it is unlikely to become a partner to the skeleton of the Sperm Whale in the Natural History Museum in Muscat.

Author: Tony Walsh

Tony Walsh - author and tour leader through Arabia