A Whale Stranded on Cianjur’s Southern Coast, Official Warn Residents Not to Consume

RRI.CO.ID, Cianjur - The Cianjur Animal Husbandry, Animal Health, and Fisheries Agency (DPKHP) in West Java has urged residents not to cut up or consume the meat of a whale that stranded along the coast of Tanjungsari Village, Agrabinta Subdistrict. The warning was issued because the marine mammal’s health condition and cause of death have not been medically determined, posing a potential health risk.

DPKHP Cianjur Head, Iwan Setiawan, said his office had only received a report about the stranded whale on the morning of Wednesday, September 23, 2026. By the time the report from the subdistrict authorities was received, most of the whale’s body had already been cut up and taken by local residents.

The handling of stranded marine animals does not fall directly under the authority of the Cianjur Regency Administration. However, the agency has coordinated with the West Java Provincial Administration to forward the report to the relevant maritime and conservation authorities.

“We received a report from the subdistrict head on Wednesday morning that a whale had been stranded at Agrabinta Beach since Monday, September 21, 2026. Because residents had already cut up and taken parts of the body home, we immediately reported the incident to the relevant provincial agency,” he said in Cianjur on Wednesday, September 24, 2026.

The coordination is necessary to ensure that the whale is handled by competent personnel, who can also educate residents about the proper response to stranded marine animals.

Handling a stranded whale requires coordination among multiple agencies, particularly those with authority over maritime affairs, coastal areas, and conservation. On the ground, the response may involve village and subdistrict administrations, security personnel, and relevant technical agencies.

People who find large marine animals stranded are urged not to immediately cut them up, drag them, or consume any part of their bodies. If the animal is still alive, residents must keep their distance and avoid gathering or making loud noises around the site.

“Reports of stranded animals can be submitted through the village or subdistrict administration, which will then forward them to the relevant technical officers, including maritime and conservation agencies,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

His agency also asked residents not to consume or take any part of a marine animal found stranded, as its health condition and cause of death have not been determined with certainty.

“We hope residents will not immediately cut up a dead whale that has stranded before officials arrive, because it cannot yet be confirmed whether it is safe for consumption. Going forward, supervision and coordination at various levels will be strengthened,” he said. ***