They may look pretty sitting on top of a shelf in a resort or beach house, but the Nautilus and its shell belongs in the ocean. The near-extinct creature, a relative of the cuttlefish, squid and octopus, was found being sold for its shell and meat in Bauan, Batangas by Ocean Quest Philippines.
Despite laws prohibiting the killing of the threatened species and the collection of its by-products, the practice continues in the province. And such a shame as well. These living fossils have remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of millions of years and reside in the ocean depths, thus making them a rare sight.
Check out the post below for more information about the sighting.
Update: Authorities of Batangas Envrironment Response Team (BERT) And Quick Response Team ng BD ( Bantay Dagat ) Network of Batangas at Mindoro have been informed.
What other actions should be done to protect this marine species?
