Lucena villagers, exec return dolphins to sea

LUCENA CITY—At least two injured dolphins, a mother and its offspring, which were rescued by fishermen in Barangay Talao-Talao facing Tayabas Bay here on Friday, were returned to the sea after being checked by local authorities.

Reil Briones, village chief of Barangay Talao-Talao, said there were no major injuries seen in the dolphins.

He said one of the dolphins measured 1.52 meters long while the other one was 2.2 meters long.

“The fishermen in our village are aware that dolphins are included on the list of protected species and that it is against the law to capture and butcher them,” Briones, also a local radio broadcaster, told the Inquirer over the phone.

He said he immediately contacted the city veterinarian office to have the dolphins treated. They were found to have minor bruises. Local environment officials also came to document the find and helped supervise the dolphins’ return to the sea.

It was the third time dolphins had gone astray into the shores of Talao-Talao.

In the two previous instances, the dolphins were also released back to the sea.

Local media and environmentalist groups have been at the forefront of spreading awareness about endangered species.