The first-ever sighting of an Irrawaddy dolphin off the shore of Calabanga, Camarines Sur, has left scientists of the University of the Philippines excited but concerned over the possibility of as-yet undiscovered marine biodiversity in the region. Nicknamed “Calab” by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Philippine Marine Mammals Stranding Network (PMMSN), the dolphin was a healthy young female that unfortunately died after it accidentally got entangled in a fisherman’s net in San Miguel Bay off Calabanga, Camarines Sur, last Aug. 16. An autopsy found Calab’s stomach still full of undigested fish, indicating that she died relatively suddenly and unexpectedly.

Newly-discovered dolphin in Bicol hints at biodiversity under threat. (2022, September 30). Daily Guardian, p. 8.