A whale spotted in Osaka Bay since last month has been confirmed dead and will be buried on prefectural land, the Osaka Prefectural Government has said.
After being buried for up to two years, the skeletal remains will be offered as a specimen to the Osaka Museum of Natural History, prefectural officials said Monday.
According to the Osaka Prefectural Government, on Jan. 12, the Kobe Coast Guard Office received multiple reports of whale sightings near Rokko Island in the city of Kobe. First observed drifting into Osaka Bay on the morning of Jan. 29, the whale likely grew weak due to a lack of food and low body temperature.
On Sunday, the Sakai Coast Guard Station reported that the whale was “floating,” and its death was officially confirmed Monday.
The sperm whale is estimated to measure approximately 13 to 14 meters in length and weigh about 25 to 30 tons. The cause of death is believed to be starvation or heart failure.
This isn't the first time whales have entered Osaka Bay. In January 2023, a male sperm whale measuring about 15 meters and weighing 38 tons was found at the mouth of the Yodo River. Locals fondly nicknamed the whale "Yodo-chan," but it was found dead a few days later.
After gathering opinions from experts at the Osaka Natural History Museum, the Osaka Ports and Harbors Bureau transported the whale off the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture on a work boat, attached a weight of about 30 tons to it, and sank it in the sea.
This time around, the prefectural government considered incinerating the carcass and sinking it in the ocean but instead decided to bury it amid cost concerns. Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura told reporters on Monday that a suitable location has been secured after consulting with local officials.
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