Dead whale shark found along Bacolod City shore

A dead whale shark was found along the shore of Barangay 35 in Bacolod City on 30 October 2026, marking another recorded death of a marine animal in the country.

Mayor Greg Gasataya said the City Agriculture Office and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) responded after receiving a report about the dead whale shark, locally known as butanding.

The City Agriculture Office recorded the animal at seven meters long and weighing approximately three to four tons.

Authorities believe the whale shark was stranded by low tide and failed to return to deeper waters.

No visible wounds were found on the animal's body.

BFAR has given the city clearance to proceed with the necessary measures to retrieve and bury the carcass.

The City Agriculture Office, Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), and City Engineer's Office will work together in the operation, using heavy equipment to retrieve and bury the animal.