Rare megamouth sharks found dead in Aurora

Several megamouth sharks were found lifeless and washed ashore by the residents of Barangay Ipil in Dipaculao, Aurora.

According to Kuya Kim’s report on “24 Oras,” Tuesday, the sharks that had large heads with mouths that are unusually big are considered a rare species.

There have only been more than 100 sightings of such sharks since they were discovered in Hawaii in 1976.

“Nakita ng mga residente ng barangay. Hindi pa nila alam kung ano ‘yung identity,” Region III Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Director Wilfredo Cruz said. “First time pa lang na napadpad sa lalawigan ng Aurora.”

Also called Megachasma pelagios, megamouth sharks are very rare because it is not often that people see them.

“Observations of this species is very, very few and also, ang distance between observations are also very wide ranging. ‘Di siya yung talagang makikita mo palagi,” marine biologist Mylene Sadagnot said.

Megamouth sharks can grow up to 17 feet long and is one of three species of filter-feeders, which are sharks that can eat small particles and tiny organisms from the water.

“Ang first one we know is ‘yung whale shark, ‘yun po ‘yung pinakamalaki and then second one will be the basking shark. Siya po ‘yung pangatlo. It is also the smallest,” the marine biologist said.

Meanwhile, according to BFAR, the dead megamouth shark was also pregnant and the smaller sharks found beside it were its offsprings.

“Pito ‘yung baby. Dahil nga patay na ‘yung mother, namatay na rin,” Cruz said.

The department is still awaiting the results of the necropsy performed on the washed-up megamouth sharks.

But based on their initial investigation, there were no human intervention factors that caused the deaths of the sharks.

“Environmental siguro ang naging cause,” Cruz said. “Tumawag po ang National Museum at dahil nga rare siya, kinuha nila. While ‘yung mother po ay binaon na namin.”  – Carby Basina/BAP, GMA Integrated News