Maritime Officials Declare That “Shark” Spotted on Initao Was a Whale Shark

18 May Maritime Officials Declare That “Shark” Spotted on Initao Was a Whale Shark

Photos: (left) Screenshot from video by Ry Yan, (right) Whale shark by West Bay Tours.

Mga higala! In a radio station interview earlier today, local maritime officials have declared that the “shark” spotted last May 14 near the coast of Midway Beach Resort in Initao was actually a ‘baby whale shark‘.

According to a maritime officer, the “details” that they have gathered regarding the sighting led them to conclude that the sea creature was a baby whale shark, locally known as a Toki-toki or Butanding. They also added that it may have strayed from its group while searching for food on that day.

Check out this post by Initao LDRRMO below:

AND watch this clip from TV Patrol Northern Mindanao for more details:

BTW, in case you didn’t know, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet sharks which feed almost exclusively on plankton and is not known to pose a threat to humans. But, locals and tourists are still advised to be careful when swimming because the presence of sharks, dolphins, and whales is not impossible in the waters of Misamis Oriental.