Two whales that washed up on the beaches of Aparri and Calayan, Cagayan last week have been rescued. One was first spotted in Barangay Bisagu, Aparri, on Wednesday, January 21, while the other was in Calayan town on Thursday, January 22.
Local government officials and volunteers immediately responded, providing supportive care to the whales' survival. The first whale was brought to the Cagayan Valley Marine Technology Outreach Station in Claveria for further rehabilitation.
According to Dr. Jefferson Soriano, Focal Person for Marine Mammals of BFAR Region 2, the goal of their action is to stabilize the movement and breathing of the marine mammal, and give it enough rest before releasing it again.
Based on the analysis, the first whale is a female Pygmy Sperm Whale (Kogia Breviceps) with a length of 240 centimeters and an estimated weight of 150 kilos. Meanwhile, the second whale is being monitored continuously while rehabilitation is underway.
Due to two consecutive incidents of mammal stranding, BFAR Region 2 has further restricted monitoring to promptly address such incidents in the future. This demonstrates the continued protection of marine wildlife in the Cagayan region.
