Lianga: A male beaked whale was found dead in the coastal waters of Lianga, Surigao del Sur on Monday, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 13 (Caraga) said Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Edwin Igsoc, the municipal agriculture officer of Lianga, reported the discovery promptly to the North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU) - Lianga Campus, particularly its College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (CFAS), for further examination.

"The beaked whale was found floating by a local fisherman, who brought it ashore using his motor banca," Igsoc stated in an interview on Wednesday. He noted that the whale was already decomposing, which led his office to seek the expertise of NEMSU-CFAS for a thorough examination.

In a report released on Monday, NEMSU-CFAS disclosed that a gastrointestinal analysis of the 3.86-meter whale revealed 'shrimp exoskeletons and a fish hook in its gut.' Marine biology students from NEMSU are set to flense the whale carcass to preserve its skeleton, which is considered a rare find, for future educational display.

"This is the second time that a dead beaked whale has been found in our coastal waters. The first one was recorded in April last year," Igsoc mentioned, adding that authorities had also examined a dugong found on Lianga's coastline last year.