A rescued baby rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) died Friday morning in Nacpan Beach, El Nido, with a “plastic garbage bag” found inside its stomach.
Jamie Dichaves, sustainability officer of the Lio Tourism Estate (LTE) Environment and Sustainability Department (ESD), told Palawan News on Saturday that the dolphin calf was found by locals on June 27 along a secluded shore of Nacpan Beach.
“Bale doon [siya nakita] sa side ng Nacpan na hindi naaabot ng mga turista, kasi walang mga establishements. ‘Yong mga land guards ng isang private property doon sa area [ang nakakita], na mga locals din naman, doon din naman sila nakatira kaya nakita rin nila kaagad. [Ang dolphin na ito], may chance na wala pa [siyang isang taon],” Dichaves said.
She said the juvenile dolphin which they named “Wally” was already weak when it was found along the shore in Nacpan.
She also cited the efforts of the people who found her — Boboy Kapampangan, Madone Garcia, Mark Tenorio, Boboy Guzman, and Ian Dacquer, who called the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and even helped make an improvised pool of salt water under the shade for the dolphin.
“Noong nakita siya, mahina, tapos talagang nandoon lang sa aplaya, sa pampang, pero naanod pa rin siya kasi malakas ‘yong alon,” she said.
This species, she noted, is rarely seen in the area.
She said her team also responded along with their partner establishment Sunmai Nacpan which extended “manpower and resources” in trying to save the dolphin calf.
Dichaves said they fed Wally with blended fish meal using a tube.
However, the dolphin calf did not make it until around 11 a.m. on Friday, June 28.
Dichaves noted the young dolphin starved itself because his stomach was full of plastic.
“Nag-dumi siya ng kulay green. Usually kasi kapag kulay green na, parang stomach acid na ‘yong inilalabas niya. Talagang walang laman ‘yong tiyan niya. Pero kapag pinapakain siya, hindi siya ganoon ka-ganadong kumain. Baka rin kasi, siyempre punung-puno ‘yong tiyan niya baka akala niya busog din siya pero ang totoo hindi. Marami na rin siyang nawalang muscle, nakakain na niya ‘yong sarili niyang katawan dahil sa sobrang kawalan ng nutrisyon,” said Dechaves.
She said she conducted a necropsy on the dolphin within one hour after its death.
Dichaves also said they are thankful for the help extended by different veterinary doctors Teri Aquino, Alessandro Ponzo, AA Yaptinchay, and Riza Salinas-Fernandez.
Meanwhile, Dichaves reminded the public to avoid using single-use plastics and participate in cleanup activities to prevent incidents like this from happening again.
“Sana lahat ng tao ay umiwas na talaga sa paggamit ng single-use plastics kasi kadalasan nakakalimutan na talagang hindi naman naka-set up ‘yong waste management system natin sa Pilipinas. Iilan lang ang nagre-recycle, nasa iilang lugar lang ang mga recycling centers, talagang marami ring mga hindi nako-kolektang basura. So kahit naiisip natin na ‘yong basura natin ay napupunta sa basurahan at nakokolekta pagkatapos, hindi ibig-sabihin na nama-manage ‘yon kaagad. May chance kasi na kunwari mapunta lang sa isang dumpsite tapos liliparin, pupunta at pupunta rin sa dagat lahat, kasi mas malaki rin talaga ‘yong dagat. So kahit anong kalat sa lupa kung di natin naiayos, pupunta at pupunta sa dagat,” Dichaves said.
