Stranded sperm whale rescued in West Bali

In the last week of December 2025, the Umah Lumba rescue team, Jembrana Police, BKSDA Bali, and Polairud Gilimanuk successfully rescued a Sperm whale. The whale had stranded in the bay, directly in front of the Gilimanuk seaport, West Bali. We strongly suspect the whale became disoriented due to intense noise pollution from heavy ship traffic in this busy shipping corridor. The whale required immediate assistance to be safely refloated and guided back to deeper waters.

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In the morning at 9 AM the spermwhale was spotted first stuck on top of reef, hurting and scratching his body. When the tide was getting higher (12 AM) the team used a speedboat for creating waves to help the whale off the reef. This technique was successful and were able to move the whale to a sandbank. After several attempts, right before sunset (7 PM), the team managed to get the sperm whale back to deeper waters. He took three deep breaths and disappeared in the deep sea.

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After a full day of coordinated effort, patience, and teamwork, this rescue operation was successful. We are deeply grateful for this extraordinary collaboration and for every single team member who showed unwavering dedication to help this magnificent creature of the deep. Moments like these remind us why cooperation matters: for the ocean, for wildlife, and for the future. 💙

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