Whale sharks spotted in Sarangani Bay

COTABATO CITY, Philippines —  More than a dozen whale sharks were spotted twice early this week in Sarangani Bay, according to radio reports.

The office of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Region 12 confirmed the whale shark sightings on Tuesday.

Nilo Tamoria, regional executive director of DENR-12, was quoted in reports as saying that the whale sharks were found feeding in Sarangani Bay off the Silway area in General Santos City.

Another group of no fewer than 10 whale sharks was reportedly sighted two days later about a mile off the seaside Kiamba town in Sarangani.

The whale sharks have been documented and tagged for conservation studies, according to Tamoria.

Task Force Butanding Gensan

The DENR regional office said on Saturday that 14 whale sharks had been discovered and documented in Sarangani Bay. Citing its Task Force Butanding Gensan, it said the sighting makes the Philippines as the second largest known population of whale sharks in the world" based on an online database of whale shark encounters in the world. Mexico has the lmost reported whale shark encounters.

DENR quotes Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria saying the presence of whale sharks is an "urgent concern" since the whale sharks must be protected while they are in the waters off Sarangani. 

"We should come up with measures for their protection because there is a possibility that they will be harmed if we will not act the soonest time," Tamor said in the DENR-12 release.

DENR-12 described the whale sharks, or butandings, as "gentle giants identified by the unique spot patterns on their bodies and listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, from Vulnerable to Endangered."

Police assistance 

Superintendent Aldrin Gonzalez, spokesman of Police Regional Office-12, said Tuesday their regional director, Chief Superintendent Eliseo Rasco, has offered to help in the protection of the whale sharks that may come close to the coasts of Sarangani province.

“We can also seek the support of the police maritime unit in the region,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said the municipal police offices in coastal towns in Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat provinces can help the DENR-12 and other environment watch groups come up with common programs meant to protect whale sharks.