Pygmy sperm whale rescued in Zamboanga City


THE carcass of a pygmy sperm whale found on the Zamboanga City coastline last March. (BFAR-IX)
A pygmy sperm whale was rescued Thursday, June 24, after being stuck on the eastern coastline of Zamboanga City.

Freddy Bagaan, an employee of the Office of the City Agriculturist, said the 3.8-meter pygmy sperm whale, with the scientific name Kogia Breviceps, had a slight wound in the body which may have come from his sea habitat.

Residents noticed the whale looking weak near the coastline of Barangay Bolong at around 4 p.m.

Bagaan said the whale might have been separated from a group and thus became stuck near the shoreline.

After minutes of assessment, Bagaan diagnosed the whale in good condition and helped it to swim back towards the deeper portion of the sea.

On March 6, a dead female pygmy sperm whale was buried on the western shore of Zamboanga City after its carcass was discovered by residents in Barangay Caragasan.

The whale measured 2.1 meters and weighing roughly 150 to 200 kilos.