Residents of the coastal barangays of Bio-os in Amlan town and in Polo, Tanjay City feasted on a baby whale shark (Butanding) that was believed to have been shot dead by an irate fisherman Tuesday after it was trapped in his fish pen.{{more}}
Job Tagle, municipal environment and natural resources officer of Amlan, said they went to the beach of barangay Bio-os after receiving the report at 9 a.m.
“When we got there, the residents had already cut up the shark. We were only able to retrieve the head for burial,” Tagle said.
Based on the head of the butanding and by eyewitness accounts, Tagle estimated the endangered marine creature to weigh about one ton.
“It was still a baby,” Tagle said.
Tagle quoted a police report saying that the slain whale shark had more than 30 bullet wounds. Police believe that the whale shark was killed by the owner of the fish pen.
He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has vowed to file a case against the suspect.
Sightings of butandings have been previously reported in Tanon Strait, a protected seascape. This, however, is yet the second case of a butanding stranding in recent years.
A male butanding was also found dead four years ago in the shore of barangay Piapi in Dumaguete City.
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