DAVAO CITY — A lifeless Sperm Whale was found Saturday morning along the shores of Davao Occidental.
According to the statement of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources XI (DENR) XI, the sperm whale with bore multiple wounds was found by a fisherman Sitio Sakalig, Brgy. Sugal, in the municipal waters of Jose Abad Santos town.
The fisherfolk discovered the carcass, immediately reported the incident to a Barangay official who also coordinated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-XI) through its Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Davao Occidental and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO).
The dead marine mammal measured 60 feet in length and 9 feet in width with many wounds which could have caused its death.
Upon learning the incident, DENR-XI Regional Executive Director Bagani Fidel A. Evasco immediately instructed PENRO Davao Occidental headed by PENR Officer Chamberlain Babiera to coordinate with concerned agencies and experts in marine biology.
In a statement, Evasco said “There is also a need to cordon the area. And the carcass should be disposed immediately because its smell can be toxic and hazardous to the community.”
As per information from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office headed by Harry Camoro, a deboning will be done today together with the Davao Museum and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO).
As it is now, about a hundred of dead sperm whale has been found in the shores of Davao Region and many of which sustained multiple wounds or had huge amount of plastics inside their intestines –Paul Palacio/Newsline
