Glan: Personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 12 (DENR-12), together with the Maritime Police, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and Coast Guard, buried a dead female sperm whale on Sunday in the coastal waters of Glan, Sarangani province.

According to Philippines News Agency, the 12.3-meter (approximately 40 feet) sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) was discovered in moderate decomposition about a kilometer offshore in Barangay Taluya. The marine mammal was first sighted by Bantay Dagat personnel. Lawyer Felix Alicer, DENR-12 regional executive director, stated that the whale's condition indicated it had been deceased for several days before its discovery.

A veterinarian from the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape, along with marine mammal experts, conducted morphometric measurements and tissue sampling led by BFAR personnel. "After data and sample collection, the carcass was properly buried, and GPS coordinates were recorded for possible future scientific exhumation," Alicer said.

The PNP Maritime Group towed the carcass to the shoreline of Barangay Tango, Glan, to facilitate safe access for examination, documentation, and proper disposal. Sperm whales, the largest toothed whales, typically inhabit deep offshore waters, migrating across large marine regions.

Alicer noted that the incident underscores the transboundary nature of marine wildlife and the necessity for broader conservation efforts beyond local waters. The Protected Area Management Office of the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape stressed that protecting migratory marine species requires a robust interagency response and continued coordination among neighboring countries within shared marine ecosystems.

The collected samples will aid in laboratory examination and contribute to marine mammal records and conservation efforts in the region.