A whale shark was washed away on Velinokkam beach in Tamil Nadu in Ramanathapuram district on Sunday.
The image, showing whale sharks on the beach, was shared on Twitter by news agency ANI. However, it has not been confirmed whether the whale shark was alive.
In June, the bodies of an 18-foot-long, one-toe whale shark were washed in the same district. Forest officials later buried it on the beach after an autopsy.
According to forest officer Satish, whale sharks are less common in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, and only four have been seen in the last four years.
He further said that capturing such rare creatures is a violation of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, under which imprisonment ranges from 3 years to 7 years.❐
