PADADA, Davao del Sur -- A whale shark that was returned to sea after beaching here Thursday was found dead near the shore of Barangay (village) Paligue Friday morning.

The provincial fisheries office said it still could not determine what caused the death of the 15-feet long fish, which had wounds all over its body.

The whale shark, weighing about one ton, was found by fisherman Bert Geqa floating near his banca (outrigger canoe) around 2 a.m. Thursday.

Geqa said his fellow fishermen had tried to convince him to catch and slaughter the whale shark but he declined.

He instead summoned fishery officials, who helped escort the fish towards the deeper waters.

Whale sharks are considered an endangered species and the government has been trying to protect it from hunters.