GMANewsTV 14 Dec 07;
Environmental group World Wildlife Fund has pitched in efforts to conserve the “butanding," or Philippine whale shark, with satellite tracking tags and a photo-identification system.
The WWF, in a statement on its Web site (www.wwf.org), said WWF used this technology recently on some 300 whale harks in Donsol town in Sorsogon province in Bicol.
“WWF-Philippines, supported by WWF-Denmark, recently forged a partnership with Australia-based ECOCEAN to catalogue Donsol’s famed seasonal visitors in a bid to protect the migratory creatures of the Coral Triangle. The results break new ground and give us a glimpse into the migration patterns of this most secretive of giants," it said.
It said the whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) have been cruising Philippine seas for over 200 million years and are one of just three planktivorous or filter-feeding sharks.
Yet, it said little is known of their habits as fewer than 350 sightings have been recorded prior to the 1980s, and it was just recently when scientists began to study them in detail.
WWF also noted Donsol transformed into a busy tourist attraction since its whale shark eco-tourism program was established barely a decade ago.
“Success comes with responsibility. The ever-increasing number of tourists is feared to drive off the seaborne giants," said WWF-Project Manager Ruel Pine.
“The lack of information on Butanding migration routes lead to frequent injuries from boat propellers, untended ropes and fishing nets," he said.
He added inattentive boatmen often run over whale sharks feeding near the surface, where plankton abounds.
WWF researcher Dave David added that sliced dorsal fins are now common, and over half the new sharks we identified had fresh scars.
Pine said due protection can only be administered if practical scientific knowledge is made available.
“Our work in satellite tagging and pattern identification provides us with a clear picture of both shark population size and migratory routes. This will help identify which sea-lanes to protect. Additionally, the distribution of these fish can indicate ocean health through the abundance of their food – plankton," he said.
He said 70 new sharks were identified, boosting Donsol’s documented visitors to 116.
“Whale shark photo-identification is a non-invasive approach in identifying individuals. Each photographed shark is logged and uploaded into a centralized repository of information, the ECOCEAN library, where it is automatically catalogued, matched and if possible, identified as a previously-known individual," Pine said.
Satellite tags were also utilized to track migration routes. The devices, which cost from P100,000 to P400,000 each, were attached to eight sharks last May.
“Although the sharks are protected in Donsol, there is a pressing need to manage their protection as they travel along their migratory routes. Our satellite results will give us a strong basis to establish protected areas in the Coral Triangle," Pine said.
WWF said its efforts will help strengthen the tourism industry of Donsol and the overall conservation of Philippine whale sharks.
Practical management schemes will soon be developed to ensure that the next generations will continue to marvel at this most charismatic of species, it added. - GMANews.TV
