Johor: The Johor Fisheries Department has confirmed the discovery of bone fragments believed to belong to a whale species in the area around Desaru Beach, Kota Tinggi, recently. The department said that the specimen was found by a Singaporean tourist on May 3, who then initially sent an email notification to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the department received information regarding the discovery on May 12. Following that, immediate action was taken by deploying four personnel from the Tanjung Sedili Fisheries Conservation and Protection Base (PKOPP) to the location to meet with the complainant and retrieve the specimen.

The bone specimen has now been sent to the Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) in Rantau Abang, Terengganu, for species identification and further analysis. The case involves legal provisions under the Fisheries (Control of Endangered Species of Fish) Regulations 1999, Section 27 of the Fisheries Act 1985.