Man-sized Guitarfish in Leyte dies after its fin was cut off

A 10-foot-long (3-meter-long) Guitarfish (Rhinobatos sp., known locally as "Arado") washed ashore in Dulag, Leyte, last weekend and may have been a victim of poaching. 

According to a report on GMA News TV's Unang Balita, the fish's dorsal fin had been torn off, eventually leading to its  death despite residents' best efforts to return it to the sea.

The IUCN lists several species of guitarfish as endangered due to overfishing for their prized dorsal fins, which are sought-after to make soup and medicine.

It was not clear as of press time whether the guitarfish in Leyte was a victim of poaching or if it somehow lost its fin in an accident.

Closely related to rays and sharks, guitarfish are bottom feeders that prey mostly on clams, worms, and other small animals on the sea floor. — GMA News