Photo courtesy Salcedo Municipal Police.
TACLOBAN CITY- A wounded dolphin was rescued on Wednesday (Jan.11) off the coast of a village in Salcedo town, Eastern Samar.
The dolphin, measuring over one meter in length and 29 in diameter, was seen floating about 6 am near the wharf of Barangay Butig, three kms away from the town proper, said Chief Inspector Emerson Badilla, police chief.
According to Badilla, the dolphin was first seen by the fishermen of the village around 6 am with wounds on its fins, face and some parts of its body.
“They first tied the dolphin so it would not hit some hard objects floating in the waters and they then called the MENRO(Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office) to help them rescue the wounded dolphin,” Badilla, in an interview, said.
Danilo Duran, head of MENRO, in turn, called up the office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources located in Guiuan town for assistance with the help of the local police.
A motor boat was used to bring the dolphin, which was visibly weak, to the wharf so it could be treated of its wounds, Badilla said.
It was not clear what caused the injuries of the dolphin.
The waters of Butig is facing the Leyte Gulf, it was learned.
“Perhaps the dolphin, which has injuries, was just carried away by the currents. It was the first time that such animal found its way to the village,” Badilla said.
The dolphin was later released back to the waters after it was treated of its injuries. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
