First record of a pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps, Blainville, 1838) stranding along the coast of Viti Levu, Fiji
Jasha Dehm
A B , Rufino Varea A , Chinthaka Anushka Hewavitharane A , Brian Stockwell A and Kelly Thomas Brown A
A School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, Laucala Bay Road, Suva, Fiji.
B Corresponding author. Email: jbdehm@gmail.com
Australian Mammalogy 44(1) 158-160 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM21007
Submitted: 5 February 2021 Accepted: 25 February 2021 Published: 16 March 2021
Abstract
On 18 July 2020, a small whale was found stranded along the eastern shoreline of Viti Levu, Fiji. The whale died two days later despite efforts to refloat and guide it out to sea. Morphometric measurements and photo identification confirm it to be an adult male pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps (Blanville, 1838). This specimen acts as the first confirmed record of the species in Fiji.
Keywords: Cetacean, marine mammals, Pacific Island countries, pygmy sperm whale, whale stranding.
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