"Butandings" seen off Sumilon Island

CEBU, Philippines - They call them “Dodong,” “Lucas,” “Joaquin” and “Fermin” - that’s according to size - but huge or small, they are the latest attraction off Sumilon Island.

Dodong, Lucas and Fermin are whale sharks (butanding) that appeared off the coast of the island in February last year.

“There was only one butanding sighted around February last year,” says Nikki Gutierrez, the assistant operations manager of Sumilon Island Resort. “Then in October last year, three others appeared,” he added.

And there is no sign they are going somewhere else.

The biggest among these butandings according to Gutierrez is Dodong that is almost a Ceres bus in length. Lucas and Joaquin are all medium sizes. Fermin is the smallest, and the most playful of all.

These whale sharks all feed from “uyap” a local word for a certain species of shrimps that is abundant off the coast of Sumilon Island.

Gutierrez said its Fermin and the others, (although Dodong would seldom swim near the bancas) would always come out from around six in the morning up to 12 noon and would swim and play with fishermen. These fishermen would feed them “uyap.”

Gutierrez, who had fed and touched Fermin, said this whale shark and the three others are playful. “I have fed Fermin, stroked his scales, touched his head and tummy and even hugged it, and it played around. The only part of that you don’t touch is the tail. For some reasons they don’t want their tails touched,” Gutierrez said.

Lately, guests of Sumilon Island Resort would go out to the sea and feed these whale sharks with local fishermen. A group of employees from a hotel in the city took a time off to experience feeding these whale sharks.

Fermin was swimming along the shore when they came. From a bigger outrigger, the fishermen divided the group and brought then near the whale shark in smaller bancas, literally surrounding the mammal. 

Fermin played along.

“I got excited when he (Fermin) swam towards me and touched my foot (which was dangling over the banca) with his jaw! I jumped out of the water but then remembered to relax because the fishermen told us before the trip that they are harmless and friendly. It was a great experience,” says Kraig Encabo.

Those who fed and played with butandings all liked the experience.

The resort offers diver tours for divers who would want a closer look at these butandings underwater and swim with them or even ride their big backs.

“Most of our guests have only heard about butandings in Sorsogon. Some of them have seen features about them on TV. Now it’s real and it’s here. They are all amazed that they could actually, played, touched, and swam with them,” says Gutierrez. (FREEMAN)