Two Of The Most Rarely Seen Marine Wildlife Were Spotted in Bohol This Week

Two of the most rarely seen marine wildlife were spotted in Bohol this week. The Orcas or Killer Whales were seen in the Municipality of Garcia Hernandez and the Leather-back Sea Turtle was found in the Municipality of Talibon. 

However, the leather-back sea turtle was already found dead by the fisherfolks. They brought it to the fishport area and was burried at the Nursery Area of the Municipal Agriculture Office. 

The Killer Whales or Orcas (Orcinus orca) is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest members.

Video: Jervz Galido

High densities of Orcas were reported but not quantified in the western North Pacific around the Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, and the Commander Islands and in the Southern Hemisphere off Southern Brazil and the tip of Southern America.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_whale

Bohol sea is considered a biodiversity hotspot for cetaceans in our country because of the numerous reports on cetaceans strandings and sightings, but Killer Whales were rarely spotted at the Bohol Sea. Killer whales were last  seen by the locals of Garcia Hernandez, Bohol decades ago.

On the other hand, Bohol is also diversed with different species of Marine Turtles. That is a reason why it is not a big surprise to receive reports of Marine Turtle stranding and sightings. We also received a report of a stranding green sea turtle in the Municipality of Talibon. 

Photo: Anacita Lofranco

However, Leather-back Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) is different.

Leather-back sea turtle is the largest living of all sea turtles. It can be easily differentiated by other sea turtles because of the absence of its bony shell, hence the name. Instead its carapace is covered by skin and oily flesh. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherback_sea_turtle

Photo: Anacita Lofranco

Though there are reports of nestings of leatherback sea turtles in the Pacific, it is rarely seen in Bohol. 

Killer whales were listed under CITES (Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species) Appendix II as now threatened with extinction. Meanwhile, Leatherback sea turtle were considered under CITES Appendix I as critically endangered.