Rough toothed dolphin beached, rescued in Sinait coast

Trained responders and volunteers help in the rehabilitation of a stranded rough toothed dolphin in Barangay Pug-os, Sinait, Ilocos Sur. (Arthur Valente)

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Sinait, Ilocos Sur—A rough toothed dolphin, more than one meter long was rescued in the coastal Brgy. Pug-os here it was spotted by a jogger near the shoreline.

A report from volunteer responders from the Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network-Region 1 and Ilocos Norte chapters said the dolphin was sighted at about 5:30 am on Feb. 27.

As of press time, the rescued marine animal is still being rehabilitated by volunteer workers including Dr. Jeneveve Suliva, from the neighboring Ilocos Norte Provincial Veterinary Office, Arthur Valente from the Ilocos Norte Provincial Fisheries and the local government unit of Sinait led by Mayor Marlon Ines.

According to Mr. Valente, the stranded dolphin appears to have no injury but it is dehydrated and has apparently lost its buoyancy. Hence, a makeshift floater composed of recycled plastic bottles was made by responders to assist the stranded dolphin until it can manage to swim to its own.

Dr. Lemnuel Aragones, a national expert on marine mammals who was on his way to Pagudpud town in Ilocos Norte on the same day also dropped by in Sinait town to help revive the dolphin.

Dr. Aragones is in Ilocos region, now known as the country’s major hot spot in marine mammal stranding, to meet with Pagudpud officials led by Mayor Marlon Sales to discuss proper conservation and protection efforts on endangered marine animals particularly humpback whales which are frequent visitors in the area.

On February 16, a stranded male calf humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) was found floating on surf above the sea grass area in sitio Aprot, Brgy. Caparispisan in Pagudpud.

The dead calf, measuring 5.87 meters long, was believed to be the same one seen by foreign tourists surfing off Terra Rica resort in Saud Beach on February 9, 2015.

This is the first marine mammal stranding in the year 2015 in Ilocos Norte, said Mr. Valente.

Two days later on February 19, another injured dolphin was sighted by local residents at Barangay Torre in Currimao in Ilocos Norte but it managed to swim to the ocean as responders attempted to get closer, Mr. Valente said.