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John Unson, Josiah Antonio - The Philippine Star
March 23, 2026 | 12:00am
Handout photo shows government personnel and environmental advocates attending to a sperm whale that got stuck in a shallow portion of the waters in Kalamansig town in Sultan Kudarat on Saturday.
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine deer has been spotted in several towns in Marinduque after years of being presumed locally extinct, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Mimaropa reported.
According to the DENR, the Marinduque Wildlife Sanctuary Protected Area Management Office confirmed the presence of the local deer after multiple sightings and monitoring activities in Barangay Malibago in Torrijos and Barangay Makulapnit in Sta. Cruz.
The DENR said Makulapnit is emerging as a key habitat with at least 10 deer, although additional signs such as footprints were seen in Boac town and nearby areas, indicating a broader distribution of the species within the landscape.
“The reappearance of the Philippine deer in Marinduque stands as both a conservation milestone and a call to action – demonstrating that while recovery is possible, sustained partnership is essential to ensure its long-term survival,” the DENR-Mimaropa said.
The agency asked the University of the Philippines in Los Baños to conduct a study to assess the population status of the Philippine deer and “provide data to guide long-term conservation and management strategies.”
Sperm whale dies
Meanwhile, police and personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection and Philippine Coast Guard rescued a sperm whale that got stranded in a shallow portion of Poral beach in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat on Saturday.
Kalamansig town officials said the mammal measured 54 feet long and weighed about 10 tons.
Some residents in Poral drew flak from environmentalists and local government officials after posting photos while the whale struggled to move back to the sea, instead of reporting immediately to authorities.
At least one man was seen riding on the whale’s back.
Local authorities confirmed that the whale died hours after the rescue. The whale reportedly had bite marks.
