Large mammals washed ashore at Axim

Over 80 large mammals have been washed ashore at the Axim-Bewire beach in the Nzema East Municipality, on Sunday, April 4, 2021.

The mammals according to a socio-environmental NGO, Friends of the Nation,  belong to the small-to-medium-sized toothed whale of the oceanic dolphin family.

Most of the mammals washed ashore were dead while some were also found alive.

The mammals that were alive have been returned to the sea.

The Western Regional Acting Director of the Fisheries Commission, Alhassan Arafat Salifu said, the cause of the incident is yet to be known, as investigations are being carried out.

“We are now counting to know the actual numbers that were washed ashore since they are in different parts of the beach. Some are still struggling to breathe and some are dead,” he said as quoted by citinewsroom

Reacting to concerns of residents who had already taken several of the dead mammals, the Acting Western Regional Fisheries Director said they will conduct further investigations into the matter.

“This is the information we have also picked up, but we don’t know where those who picked some of the mammals have taken them to. So until we are able to do further investigation, we will not know where they have been taken to,“ he said.

Meanwhile, authorities in Osu have cautioned against the sale and consumption of some strange fishes that washed ashore on Friday, April 4.

A handful of dead fishes were found ashore on Friday, however by Saturday, hundreds were scattered along a vast stretch of the Osu beach during Easter.

It is believed that the fishes have already found their way to the markets and are being sold at cheap prices, hence the caution to desist from consumption of the product