BFAR Bicol honors marine life laid to rest

As families hustle to clean tombs, arrange vibrant flowers, and prepare for solemn visits to their departed loved ones, a dedicated team from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Bicol (BFAR-5) gathered to pay homage to the marine mammals that have tragically met their end along the breathtaking shores of the region.

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CETACEAN Cemetery at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Bicol regional office in Fabrica, Bula, Camarines Sur. (BFAR-5 FB)

Rowena Briones, spokesperson for BFAR-Bicol, unveiled the existence of a unique cetacean cemetery, a solemn resting place established in 2013 by the Fisheries Regional Emergency Stranding Response Team (FIRST).

The sacred site located in the regional office of BFAR-5 in Bula, Camarines Sur, stands as a heartfelt reflection of incidents of strandings and the untimely demise of marine creatures in the waters of Bicol.

“At least 14 dolphins and whales like Risso’s dolphin, spinner dolphin, Fraser’s dolphin, dwarf sperm whale, Bryde’s whale, melon-headed whale, at striped dolphin are in the cemetery,” she shared thoughtfully.

Briones highlighted the cemetery's exceptional nature; such poignant places are extraordinarily rare, with significant examples only located in Bicol and Dagupan City.