Plastic, food wrappers found inside dead whale shark in Davao

Art Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/08/09/08092018-dead-whale-shark-1.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><figcaption>A juvenile whale shark that washed ashore in Tagum City undergoes necropsy. <em>Darrell Blatchley</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - A biologist and bone collector who performed a necropsy on a whale shark that washed ashore in Tagum City, Davao del Norte this week found several pieces of plastic in the marine creature&#x27;s stomach.</p><p>Darrell Blatchley, an American who is based in Davao City, posted on Facebook photos of the plastic cup, food wrappers, and other pieces of plastic that he found in the stomach of the 14-foot (4.3 meters) juvenile whale shark.</p><ul class="op-related-articles"><li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/07/18/butanding-natagpuang-patay-sa-tagum-city">Butanding natagpuang patay sa Tagum City</a></li></ul><p>In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Blatchley said he was certain that the ingestion of these pieces of plastic caused the death of the whale shark.</p><p>&quot;Yes. The blocking of the gills and stomach would cause it to become weak and die,&quot; Blatchley said.</p><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/08/09/08092018-dead-whale-shark-2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/08/09/08092018-dead-whale-shark-3.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/08/09/08092018-dead-whale-shark-4.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/08/09/08092018-dead-whale-shark-5.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>Several pieces of plastic were found in the stomach of the whale shark. <cite>Photo courtesy of Darrell Blatchley</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Several pieces of plastic were found in the stomach of the whale shark. <cite>Photo courtesy of Darrell Blatchley</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Several pieces of plastic were found in the stomach of the whale shark. <cite>Photo courtesy of Darrell Blatchley</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Several pieces of plastic were found in the stomach of the whale shark. <cite>Photo courtesy of Darrell Blatchley</cite></p></div></div></div><p>He said this was the third necropsy he had done this year on a large marine creature. A dolphin had earlier died after getting caught in fishing nets, while a pygmy sperm whale was also found with plastic in its stomach.</p><p>Blatchley had also participated in the necropsy of a 38-foot juvenile sperm whale which washed ashore in Samal Island in 2016. Like the whale shark found this week, the dead whale found then also had pieces of plastic in its stomach.</p><ul class="op-related-articles"><li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/12/20/16/mga-basura-nakita-sa-tiyan-ng-namatay-na-dambuhalang-balyena">Mga basura, nakita sa tiyan ng namatay na dambuhalang balyena</a></li></ul><p>He said people need to reduce plastic use and dispose of trash properly to help prevent more marine creatures from dying of plastic ingestion.</p><p>&quot;It can change. But if this momentum is lost it&#x27;s a waste,&quot; Blatchley said.</p><p>A 2015 report by the environmental campaigner Ocean Conservancy and the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment listed the Philippines among 5 Asian countries accounted for up to 60 percent of the plastic waste leaking into the oceans. The others are China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.</p><ul class="op-related-articles"><li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/06/05/18/southeast-asias-plastic-addiction-blights-worlds-oceans">Southeast Asia&#x27;s plastic &#x27;addiction&#x27; blights world&#x27;s oceans</a></li></ul>

<p>A biologist and bone collector who performed a necropsy on a whale shark which washed ashore in Tagum City, Davao del Norte found several pieces of plastic in the marine creature's stomach. </p>

A biologist and bone collector who performed a necropsy on a whale shark which washed ashore in Tagum City, Davao del Norte found several pieces of plastic in the marine creature's stomach.

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Plastic, food wrappers found inside dead whale shark in Davao

Plastic, food wrappers found inside dead whale shark in Davao

Art Fuentes,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 09, 2018 10:59 PM PHT

|

Updated Nov 11, 2024 12:23 PM PHT

Read More:

whale shark

butanding

environment

pollution

plastic

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