Rescued whale released into the sea

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Authorities released into the sea an injured pygmy sperm whale hours after it was rescued Thursday afternoon near a power barge in Maco town in Compostela Valley.

Officials from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the four-year-old pygmy sperm whale weighed approximately 250 kilos and was 10 feet in length.

The whale was found to have injuries that were possibly caused by attacks from cookie-cutter sharks.

Aside from the bite marks, the whale showed signs of possible plastic ingestion and was dehydrated.

Fishermen and personnel from the nearby Therma Marine power barge set up a makeshift floating shelter where the whale was placed before it was released. 

BFAR municipal coordinator Nora Tandawa cited the fishermen and the barge personnel for protecting the whale and preventing it from being butchered as its meat is poisonous.     

“Despite the odds, we were overjoyed to see the whale finally swim back to deep water. It was heartwarming to see our neighbors in Barangay San Roque, the coast guard, BFAR and our Therma Marine team members all working together to save a life,” said Pablo Suarez, operations manager of Therma Marine Mobile 1. 

Pygmy sperm whales are found in tropical waters. Although they are believed to prefer deep waters, a pair of these pygmy whales has been spotted for years swimming in the waters off Maco.