Muanda whale: Should it have been buried, or kept for tourism and research?

The coastal city of Muanda was the scene of an unusual event this past week as a massive dead whale washed ashore on the Atlantic coast. The marine mammal, measuring nearly 12 meters and weighing over 10 tonnes, drew hundreds of curious residents and became the central topic of conversation.

Following a brief customary ceremony, the whale was buried on Sunday, July 5th, in a pit prepared by the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN). The discovery and subsequent burial have ignited a local debate regarding the best course of action for such an event.

Questions have arisen about whether the whale should have been buried, utilized for consumption, or preserved for scientific research and tourism purposes. Additionally, the cause of the marine mammal's death remains a subject of discussion and investigation.

Messrs. Dedieu Byaombe Balongelwa, Provincial Director of ICCN Kongo-Central, and Guy Mbayima, former technical and scientific director of ICCN, addressed these issues. Their insights shed light on the conservation efforts and the challenges faced when dealing with such large marine discoveries.