Whale nursed back to health in La Union

Sto. Tomas, La Union—In a concrete tank, “Agustina” swims feebly, aided by an orange floater from which it tries to wriggle away. Agustina is a female melon-headed whale that was stranded on a beach in the coastal village of San Agustin in San Fernando City on April 30. The 6.2-foot- (1.89 meters) long whale was rescued and brought to a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) facility here on a Sunday when its tanks were empty and its staff was not around. The whale bore scratch marks all over its body and fins. It also had wounds which could have been inflicted by other creatures like sharks or when it hit rocks or was caught by a net, according to the BFAR staff.