Whale shark dies due to toxic wastes

The necropsy examination showed that the whale shark that washed ashore on Tuesday at a coastal area in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, died due to the toxic waste in its stomach that caused its distress.

Darrell Blatchley, a bone collector and the owner of D’ Bone Museum in Davao City, told Sun.Star Davao yesterday that the necropsy investigation revealed that there were several foreign objects stuck inside the stomach and gills of the whale shark including Jelly wrappers in the gills and plastic cups and two Ziploc sandwich bags of plastic garbage.

“Gills are part of the respiratory system of fishes. So plastic cups lodged in these organs could have negative effects on these organisms,” Blatchley said.

He said the necropsy was conducted along with a fellow science researcher.

The deceased was found at Sitio Cabugan, Barangay Busaon , Tagum City, Davao del Norte around 5 a.m. on August 7 which measures 14 feet.

He said that these whale sharks live in the ocean but they travel everywhere and the Davao Gulf has become a home and migration path for so many species. But because of their characteristics, they also became susceptible to the adverse impact of the malpractices of the people.

They will have the whale deboned and shall be displayed in his museum. /