Humpback whales spotted near Babuyan Islands

Majestic humpback whales were once again seen in the waters off Babuyan Islands in extreme northern Luzon.

According to a report by Tina Panganiban-Perez on GMA's 24 Oras, the whales are back because it is their breeding season.

The group Balyena.org does a yearly study on arrivals of whales and other marine mammals in the Philippines.

Taking snapshots of the whales' tails enables the group to monitor their visits to the area.

A humpback whale it previously identified as PH064 was seen in the Philippine waters again, this time around, with a calf.

Experts said that this particular whale was also spotted in previous years and the last time of which was in 2017.

Lesions, however, were observed on the whales' bodies that were seen in the area.

"Pwedeng sugat from an injury, pwede ring may mga viral and bacterial infection. Pwedeng ma-relate ito sa condition ng tubig. Mas marumi 'yung tubig, mas maraming bacteria," said Balyena.org's AA Yaptinchay.

"'Yung turismo hindi siya banta, pero nagiging problema ito kung hindi siya regulated," he added.

The humpback whales that visit the Philippines belong to the Western North population which is already considered endangered.

Humpback whales face the threats of accidental collisions with huge seacrafts and of getting entangled with fishing nets. —Dona Magsino/LDF, GMA News