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.
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