Stranded dwarf sperm whale found dead

ANDA, BOHOL,Philippines – Members of the Bohol Rescue Unit for Marine Mammals have buried a dead two-meter dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) that was earlier found floating lifeless in mangrove area of coastal Barangay Suba here, about 100 kms from Tagbilaran City.

Dr. Alessandro Ponzo of the Physallus, a group of marine conservationists working here, wrote in his email to The FREEMAN: “On March 5, 2012 members of the NGO Physalus were called out to Barangay Suba in Anda, Bohol by the Anda Tourism Officer Arvin Rubillo, to respond to a whale stranding as members of BRUMM (Bohol Rescue Unit for Marine Mammals).”

Ponzo said it was the first stranded dwarf sperm whale in Bohol since the 1990s. Its species identification was confirmed by Physalus team members Dominic Clarke and Josh Silberg, with the help of Municipal Agricultural Officer Teodoro ‘Jandy’ Jandayan who did the appropriate measurements.

It was not immediately determined what was the cause of death “due to the highly decomposed state of the whale. But lesions in the tail area could suggest the entanglement in fishing net,” said Ponzo.

The cadaver was eventually buried following protocol that would enable authorities to recover the skeleton and display it as a tool to raise awareness and educate tourists and the public.

“Members of Physalus’ Large Marine Vertebrates Project have sighted dwarf sperm whales during the past two years in the waters of the towns of Anda, Jagna and Baclayon, usually in small groups of four to seven,” said Ponzo. - THE FREEMAN