Two whales and a turtle were found stranded on Philippine shores during recent days.
The first was a short-finned pilot whale, washed ashore in Butuan town on the 21st of August. It was found dead, entangled with a rope around its dorsal fin and wounds in its tail, possibly a reason for its death.
On the same day, a green sea turtle was found lifeless on the shores of Albay, a piece of fishnet tightly coiled around its neck.
One day later, on the 22nd, a “heavily emaciated” and wounded pygmy sperm whale stranded in the principe of Camarines Sur. According to authorities the wounds in its abdominal area might stem from trying to escape a fish entrapment. Though immediate report upon sighting, the whale passed away shortly after.
All three species depend on protection measures. While the green sea turtle is classified as endangered, the whales are listed in the conservation treaty Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora’s Appendix II, meaning they will be endangered if no protection takes place. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources pointed out that no whale or dolphin butchering has been recorded in Batuan in recent years, but the fishermen needed to be reminded of the proper disposal of their equipment.
For more information, see: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1156408/thin-wounded-whales-found-dead-in-bicol-shores and https://www.rappler.com/science-nature/environment/238356-green-sea-turtle-whales-lifeless-bicol-shores-august-2019
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