6-Tonne Whale Washes Up On Cianjur Beach

Cianjur, W Java (Antara Bali) - A dead whale weighing about 6 tonnes washed ashore in the southern coast of Cianjur on Thursday.

"A lot of people arrived to see the whale and later started cutting its meat for consumption. Within a few minutes, there was no meat left on the whale's body," said Muzakir, a local rural official.

Local security guards could not stop the large number of people from cutting the whale into pieces. "There were not only local villagers but also inhabitants from neighbouring villages who had come on cars and motorbikes," Muzakir noted.

Jamal, a 32-year-old village man from Sindangbarang, which is situated about 50 kilometres from the beach where the whale was stranded, said he had come to get a piece of whale meat.

"Apart from my curiosity, I came here hoping to get a piece of the whale's meat. Last year, I had done the same thing and I found that whale meat was good for my stamina," he explained.

Meanwhile, Rahmat, a 45-year-old fisherman from the same village, said the 10-metre-long whale was most likely killed after being shot by a poacher.

He stated that there were four bullet holes in the whale's body. "The whale is considered to be a blessing. Local people believe that whale's meat can cure various diseases," Rahmat added.(*/T007)