ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 24 Jul) – Filipino fishermen have found a dead whale beached on an island off the southern port city of Zamboanga.
The 30-meter animal was discovered on Bubu island, but fishery workers were not able to immediately identify the mammal, although it resembled a gray whale.
Fishermen said they discovered the dead whale on Saturday and informed authorities about it two days later.
“It was really huge and this is the first time we saw such kind of whale. It’s a pity that the whale was dead when we found it while fishing near the island,” said Hashim Abubakar.
“Fishery workers took measurements of the whale and photographs too,” he said.
It was unknown what caused the animal to be stranded, but beaching is often fatal for whales, as they become dehydrated and die. Beached whales also die when their lungs are suffocated under their own weight or drown when high tides cover their blowholes.
Local authorities warned fishermen not to go near the dead whale, saying, it can become a source of disease. The island is uninhabited, but nearby islands are home to hundreds of fishermen. (Mindanao Examiner)
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