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Philippines Travel Gentle Giants Of Donsol Sorsogon
onsol used to be a sleepy butchered. A marine biologist
coastal town in witnessed it and instantly
Sorsogon—a province in recognized the fish as a rare
the southernmost tip of Luzon. marine specie. The biologist
Nobody knows Donsol except for, immediately reported the incident
of course, its local inhabitants to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF),
until a few years ago when an international organization
tourists from all over the world promoting the preservation of the
began to flock this remote place wildlife.
to get a look-see at the largest
fish on earth: the whale shark. WWF wasted no time and launched
an education campaign about the
Before, fishermen in Donsol were giant creature. After
ignorant of the ecological (and coordinating with the Department
tourist) value of whale sharks. of Tourism, whale-watching soon
They used to hunt, slaughter and became a tourist activity that
sell the poor gentle sea allowed extra income for the
creatures to Japanese traders. people of Donsol.
Local folks call them "butanding"
or "big fish" in the vernacular. Whale sharks can grow up to 50
Early sightings of the butandings feet in length. It has a rather
were reported in the Visayan seas wide mouth with hundreds of
in Bohol further south. It was pointed teeth. It usually comes
said that massive slaughtering in grey or greenish brown color
caused their migration to Donsol with white or yellow spots all
waters. over its body.
Although, according to stories, It earned the label gentle giant
the first butanding that was of the sea because of its
netted out in the area was also harmless nature, considering it
is of the shark family. It has Donsol. But early studies show
nothing in common with whales that whale sharks can travel
except for its size, thus the 14,000 miles in 40 months and is
name. Divers can swim and capable of breeding in different
interact with them and are only sea environments.
known to sink deeper into the
ocean when it gets upset. There Whale sharks swim on the surface
has been no known attack on of the water especially during
humans of whale sharks. the morning and early afternoon.
It opens its mouth rhythmically
Scientists are still baffled with when feeding on the planktons and
the large migration of whale visitors may be treated to this
sharks in Donsol. These fishes wondrous sight if they spot the
are known to prefer the cold fish at the perfect time. But
waters, not the tropical seas don't expect them to jump up and
that we have. One explanation down the water like the whales or
would be the flourishing of dolphins. That's actually another
planktons in the area. Planktons beauty of the whale shark
are organisms that fill the diet experience because this makes it
of the whale sharks. It is also perfectly east and safe to get
hard to record the number of near them.
whale sharks that now thrive in
About the Author:
John Grant has been living in the Philippines for 5 years and has travelled the country extensively. His online Philippines Travel Guide gives you an extensive coverage of destinations like Sorsogon
Source: www.isnare.com
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