Wounded dolphin found in Surigao del Norte waters dies

Local fishermen found a wounded dolphin near the coastline in Pilar, Surigao del Norte. The dolphin was found wounded in its nose, body and tail.

Annie Penera, Pilar town’s Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO)-designate said the wounds could have been caused by lumber floating in sea waters which they called “batang” and sharp-pointed corals in the seabed near the coastline.

It was raining and the waves are big when the dolphin was found. Pilar’s coastline faces the Philippine Sea.

Local fishermen did not inform the local authorities about the fish when they found it. They carried the dolphin to the shore in an attempt to slaughter it and try to make money by selling the meat of the fish.

A local tourist however saw the fishermen hiding in the bushes and warned them. The fishermen were forced to put the dolphin back to sea water and handed it over to officials of MENRO in Pilar. A few hours later however the dolphin dies.

Local residents carry the dead dolphin found in Pilar, Surigao del Norte
The cause of death, its sex and specie was undetermined hence no personnel from Bureau of Fish and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) was able to examine the fish. The dolphin measured ninety four inches long and has a body width of forty four inches.

Capturing and killing of dolphins in Philippine waters is prohibited under the Philippine Fisheries Code enacted in 1998. The fishermen who surrender the dolphin were not sued for violating the law since the capture was not intentional, MENRO officials said.

Local authorities of Pilar said the dead dolphin would be buried in the shore of Magpopungko Beach. The place is exactly the area where the poor dolphin was found. (Rodge Cultura, abs-cbnnews)

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