Rare Cuvier’s beaked whale found dead in Cagayan
TUGUEGARAO CITY—A rare Cuvier’s beaked whale was found dead along the coast of Barangay Bagu in Abulug, Cagayan, on Sunday, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Cagayan Valley.
A resident reported the stranded marine mammal to the Abulug local government, which coordinated with fishery authorities.
Coast guard personnel and volunteers later retrieved the whale and brought it to the Abulug Fishery Research and Training Center for examination and proper disposition.
Dr. Jefferson Soriano, a BFAR veterinarian, led the examination.
The whale was identified as a female neonate Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), measuring 1.9 meters long and weighing about 60 kilograms. The species is considered rare in Philippine waters.
BFAR said the examination found a circular wound about 2 centimeters deep on the left caudolateral portion of the whale’s body, along with abrasions on its fluke, snout, flippers and dorsal fin.
Hematoma
A notable hematoma, or collection of blood beneath the tissue, was also observed, primarily in the abdominal area and other parts of the body.
Internal examination showed grayish fluid mixed with sand in the stomach, while multifocal hemorrhages were found in both ventricles of the heart. The lungs, liver, kidneys and spleen showed no significant abnormalities, BFAR said.
Soriano said several factors may have contributed to the whale’s stranding, including its neonatal stage, weak condition and poor body condition, possible separation from its mother or pod and adverse weather conditions.
