Another dolphin beached at Badoc shoreline

Trained responders carry a stranded dolphin to a temporary rehabilitation center near the shoreline of Gabut Norte, Badoc, Ilocos Norte

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

BADOC, Ilocos Norte—A female sub adult spinner dolphin was found in distress along the shore of Gabut Sur village here, making it the third of this kind stranded spotted by coastal residents since January.

At about 4:30pm on February 13, provincial fishery regulatory coordinator Arthur Valente of the Provincial Agriculture Office received a report from local authorities that a dolphin was stranded in the coastal village of Badoc town.

Ilocos Norte’s coastal municipalities from the gateway of Badoc to the northernmost town of Pagudpud have been a frequent site of marine mammal stranding, making it one of the considered hot spots based on the high number of reported strandings next to Central Luzon (III), Region V and Central Visayas (Region VII).

 Responders try to feed a stranded dolphin in distress.

As of press time, responders brought the dolphin measuring 1.7 meters and weighing over 50 kilograms to a safer ground in Gabut Norte. Due to her unstable condition caused by an old wound shark bite at the left mid ventral part, Valente said the dolphin have yet to be released until she is in stable condition.

On January 17,   a female rough-toothed dolphin measuring 1.73 meters was beached along the neighboring village of Virgen Milagrosa of the same town. After spending overnight in a temporary makeshift shelter, the stranded dolphin was released the next day but due to rough weather, said dolphin was re-stranded again few hours after her release but this time, she did not make it to go back to the wild. Result of necropsy analysis showed a plastic fruit wrapper was barred in her stomach causing her intake of food hard to digest.

Two weeks later or on February 4, another dolphin was found dead in Balaoi of Pagudpud town.

In Ilocos Norte, the beaching of marine mammals here is no longer new.

That is why a network of trained volunteers and supporters from the different coastal areas of Ilocos Norte composed of fishermen association, public and private individuals here has pledge to respond to stranded mammals regarded as “valuable sentinels of the ocean and human health.”

Last year, the Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network-Ilocos Norte chapter has responded to at least nine marine mammals stranding. Out of the nine, only one rough toothed dolphin managed to go back to the wild when rescued by local by fishermen and local officials in Barangay Pagsanaan, also a coastal village of Badoc town.

For the past three years, Ilocos Norte has recorded at least 24 strandings where only eight were successfully rescued and released.

Also, the Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network (PMMSN), a group of professionals, semi-professionals and volunteers throughout the nation initiated by Dr. Lem Aragones with several trained responders from Ilocos Norte has been an instrument in responding to stranded animals and gathering pertinent data regarding such event. This has led to the establishment of the Philippine Marine mammal Database (www.pmmsndatabase.upd.edu.ph) which shall serve as a tool in elucidating not only strandings but also changes in the marine environment. 

“This unusually high rate of live strandings may be attributed to (1) prevalence of illegal fishing practices such as blast fishing resulting to acoustic trauma, (2) increasing fishing efforts, amplifying the possibility of entanglements or interactions with various fishing gears, and (3) biotoxins from harmful algal blooms, which is coupled to their foodweb. Hopefully, the continuing expansion of the network will ensure that every stranding is attended to and all relevant data recorded in the near future.  Only then will we have a better understanding of this phenomenon and ultimately develop mitigation or protection measures for these marine mammals,” said in the PMMSN website.

Former village chairman Vergel Calajate said his constituents are already aware of the current state of these endangered animals that is why there is a ready composite team of trained responders in the area to rescue dolphins in distress.