Date: Sat, 8 Feb, 1997
Dolphins Found Dead in Coastal Town
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Bacolod City - A third dolphin was found dead with bullet wounds on the shores of a beach in a village 82 kilometres north of Bohol, raising suspicions that fishermen may have been shooting the dolphins.

The 10-feet long dolphin was found to have four wounds, but the fatal one was in its head. Early this week two dead dolphins, also bearing wounds, were separately washed ashore in two coastal villages of this city.

The Negros Occidental Provincial Agriculturist Office had examined the first two dolphins and found a hole-like wound on each of them, said Ruel Almoneda, aquaculture technologist.

Residents of Barangy Old Sagay believe the wound was caused by spears hurled by fishermen.
"They appear to be bullet wounds", said Almoneda.

He said dolphins travel along with schools of tuna and fishermen on board big vessels may have shot at them so they would not disturb their fish catch. He said the dolphins that were washed ashore in Bacolod may have come from the Sulu Sea in southern Negros while the one found in Sagay came from the Tanon Strait.

The Tanon Strait, which separates the islands of Cebu and Negros, is a known habitat of dolphins. It is being promoted for aqua-tourism by officials of Bais City in Negros Oriental, which faces the strait.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia is still having the death of the dolphins investigated but so far the culprits remain unknown. The killing of dolphins is punishable by imprisonment.

Carla P. Gomez, PDI Visayas Bureau.



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