British scientist to examine dead whale

A British scientist arrived in Karachi late on Friday to examine and record the details of the 11-metre-long whale shark that was towed by local fishermen to the Karachi Fish Harbour from the open sea earlier this week. The scientist, whose name was not released to the media for security reasons, is being accompanied by a documentary production team ‘Windfall Films’ to ascertain the cause of its death as well as measure the carcass and possibly make a film on the giant fish. Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) officials, after weighing the carcass said it weighed 14.5 tonnes, the Whale was shifted to the site of a former zoological museum inside the harbour to preserve it for research purposes. Producers from the ‘Windfall Films’, which is known for producing documentaries and films on science fiction, contacted the KFHA officials and has expressed interest in documenting their investigation into the cause of death of the whale shark. Fisheries authorities said some experts from Marine Fisheries Department and the Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, University of Karachi, also visited the Fish Harbour, and collected samples of the whale shark.( Khaleej times)