Wounded dolphin saved in Alaminos

ALAMINOS CITY – A wounded rough toothed dolphin stretching over eight feet, which was stranded and rescued by two fishermen at the coastline of Barangay Baley-daan here, is now doing well.

Ivy Basila, city information officer, told The STAR in a phone interview yesterday that the dolphin was taken to the Ocean Adventure-Subic for treatment before it is brought back to the sea. Fishermen Richard and Michael Rendon from coastal Barangay Baley-dan spotted the dolphin near an oyster culture farm while preparing for an early morning fishing trip on Feb. 8 and turned it over to proper authorities.

The dolphin, weighing about 70 kilograms, was later named Bayanihan in recognition of the fishermen’s effort, concern, and sense of unity in saving the sea creature.

The city also sought the assistance of Ocean Adventure-Subic (OAS) and the Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network (PMMSN) since the dolphin appeared to be very weak and in bad shape.

Last year, Mayor Hernani Braganza, PMMSN and OAS conducted a marine mammals stranding seminar here in the city.

The seminar has provided local residents and the city government with basic information in rescuing marine mammals, as there had been sightings of stranded dolphins in the area.