Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) has prepared informative and educational documentary on Whale Shark, which will be made public in the last week of February.
The documentary film shows the story about how this huge fish was found by the fishermen near the coast of Karachi, its landing on the beach and possession by Karachi Fish harbour and its transportation to PMNH, official sources at PMNH said Tuesday.
The film also shows the lengthy process of its inauguration of display in stuffed form for the general public in PMNH display.
This is the biggest stuffed animal specimen in the world, he added. The Whale Shark, which was found dead in the Gora Bari area in Pakistani territory of Arabian Sea by the local fishermen, was brought to PMNH in February 2012, where it was reconstructed, mounted and displayed for general public as an icon of biodiversity of Pakistan.
The Whale Shark (Rhincodon Typus) is the biggest fish in the world. It is a rare species and declared vulnerable as its population is decreasing at an alarming rate.
It was brought to KarachiFishHarbour on February 7, 2012 and auctioned for Rs 200,000. The auctioneer who purchased the fish managed an exhibition of this specimen and levied a ticket of Rs 20.
Knowing the importance of this huge specimen, Karachi Fish Harbour Authority and Marine Fisheries Department came into action and took the possession of shark.
According to details, PMNH remained in close touch with the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority and Marine Fisheries Department.
With consent of all the stakeholders, it was decided that this unique specimen should be preserved and displayed in the museum for future research and for education.
The PMNH director general immediately managed to send a team of the scientists and technicians from PMNH to Karachi.
Team led by Dr Muhammad Rafique immediately arrived at Karachi and after initial formalities started the conservation process.
The immediate task was to save the specimen from being perished. Fifteen people worked day and night and first phase of the task was successfully completed in record two days.
The skin and skeleton of the specimen has been saved and recovered. It was then processed in PMNH for its long term preservation and display.
Official said the tissues of all the organs of the specimen have been preserved for any laboratory analysis in future and for accurate age determination of the specimen.
It is called whale shark because it attains huge size like whales and also because it’s feeding habit resemble to whales.
This distinctively marked fish is the only member of its genus and its family. This Whale Shark has a length of 42 feet and weighs 16 tonnes. Its liver weighed about 800 Kg.
Weight of stomach was about 600 kg, the ovary had a weight of 120 kg and had about 1,500 eggs. The documentary on Whale Shark was completed with the collaboration of UNESCO Islamabad and Pakistan Science Foundation.
“It will be presented on the occasion of participation of PSF in Punjab youth festival from February 26 to March 3.”