Cagayan folk rescue stranded dolphins

TUGUEGARAO CITY , Philippines  — Fisherfolk of a northern coastal Cagayan town rescued three wounded dolphins, among the more than 15 sea mammals that strayed into its coastal waters since last week amid the two recent typhoons.

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the dolphins, rescued by fishermen off the coast of Barangay Palawig in northeastern Santa Ana town on July 16, bore gashes, cuts and wounds believed to have been inflicted by sharks and other predatory animals.

The dolphins were part of a pod of 18 seen several hundred meters away from the Santa Ana coast, the northernmost mainland Luzon town, which also hosts the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority and Free Port. 

Palawig village officials and residents, through Nelson Morales, a BFAR employee living there, sought the aid of Dr. Elma Bermudez for the immediate treatment of the wounded dolphins before they were released back to the sea the following day.

“Dolphins are among the most intelligent animals (and they) deserve our utmost care, especially since they are a protected species,” said Dr. Jovita Ayson, BFAR regional director for Cagayan Valley.

The BFAR in the region had already put up a marine mammal stranding and rescue task force to take care of sea creatures, including dolphins, a highly protected sea species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).