A series of sperm whale sightings has drawn attention in the waters of North Bali, particularly in the Pemuteran area, Gerokgak District, Buleleng Regency.
A local resident and tour guide, Abdul Rohim, recorded one of the encounters while taking tourists out to sea. The footage shows the back and tail of a large whale surfacing before diving again.
Rohim said he encountered the whale by chance during a routine tour. “I happened to be taking tourists, and I encountered it,” he said on Monday, 8 December 2025, as quoted by Detiknews.
He noted that sightings of sperm whales in the area were not unusual, but the frequency had increased in recent weeks.
“It seems to be seasonal, but not always in the same month. In September, I also encountered a sperm whale in this area. These weeks have been frequent; it seems to be migrating. I’ve always seen them heading east,” he said.
He added that the whales sometimes appeared in pairs but could also be spotted individually.
“I’ve often seen them in pairs. Sometimes alone, but more often in pairs,” he said. Rohim also reported seeing multiple whales over the past few days.
“Yesterday I saw four, two together, two separated. The next day I saw two more, and my sister saw three,” he said.
Sightings occurred across several points, from Pemuteran to the waters north of Bukit Ser.
“I saw them in Pemuteran, and the next day they were again north of Bukit Ser. The ones in the video were in Pemuteran, then a bit east, we followed them slowly,” he said.
Lihat postingan ini di Instagram
Expert: Sightings Do Not Indicate a Permanent Migration Route
As reported by Kompas, Gede Iwan Setiabudi, a lecturer in the Marine Science Department at Ganesha University of Education (Undiksha), stated that the sightings did not indicate a permanent migration route.
He explained that the waters north of Bali are enclosed and have only one open access from the east.
“The waters north of Bali are closed off and only open from the east. So it’s highly likely that the whales are simply passing through, not on a permanent migration route,” he said.
According to Iwan, sperm whale migrations are more commonly recorded in the Sawu Sea and the waters off Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua. These areas show clearer and more consistent migration patterns.
“In northern Bali, their appearances are unpredictable and irregular in time or location. So this is not a migration route; they are likely following certain hydro-oceanographic patterns or ocean currents that lead them to this area,” he said.
He emphasised that past reports from marine tourism operators in Pemuteran and the West Bali National Park also recorded occasional sightings.
These, however, occurred irregularly and did not indicate fixed patterns. Iwan said several environmental factors could influence whale movement.
“They could be affected by underwater sonar interference, extreme temperature changes, or bad weather. It’s storm season now, so it’s possible the whales got separated from their group,” he said.
