WATCH: Bughaw, the blue whale, swims along Dumaguete coast

MANILA, Philippines – They called the blue whale Bughaw. 

The two-minute video taken by the Cetacean Ecology Lab at the Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) of The University of Hong Kong and Silliman University-Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences on Wednesday, May 25, featured a blue whale swimming off the Dumaguete coast. 

According to the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines (MWWP), Bughaw was actually first sighted off the waters of Dauin, a town some 15 kilometers south of Dumaguete. The area is known for rich marine reserves along its coastal waters. 

The blue whale, also known as the largest mammal in the world, is one of the 26 cetacean species found in the Philippines. This year, tourists and residents reported various sightings in the Visayas, including Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Southern Leyte.

The MWWP added that little is still known about the Philippine population of blue whales. According to the marine group, the public can help monitor the movement of blue whales and provide information about their migration trail by reporting sightings of them. – Rappler.com