Dolphins bring excitement to Pangasinan town

DAGUPAN CITY—The sight of dolphins frolicking near their shore was enough to excite residents of two coastal villages in the town of Sual in Pangasinan province, no matter how few or many the mammals were.

It was the first time that dolphins visited the town’s coastal areas, which have three coves, according to Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue.

He said a “butanding” (whale shark) visits the town yearly, but there was no regular sighting of dolphins.

The first pod of at least eight dolphins was seen on Dec. 10, frolicking in Cabalitian Bay until Dec. 15. The bay is site of the town’s mariculture zone, which has at least 700 “bangus” (milkfish) cages.

On Sunday, a bigger group of at least 20 dolphins arrived in Sual Bay.

Florencia Guanzon, Sual town agriculturist, said the dolphins in both pods were bottlenose, which are easily identifiable by their large, dark dorsal fin and uniform color.

Westly Rosario, chief of the National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center here, said the dolphins may have been attracted by the abundance of “alamang” (baby shrimps), their food, in the area.

Arcinue ordered the town’s Bantay Dagat to make sure that the dolphins were not harmed. Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon