Beachgoers and residents gather around a beached whale in Babak, Samal on Saturday, December 17, 2016. The whale was alive Friday night, but died Saturday
© Dean OrtizBeachgoers and residents gather around a beached whale in Babak, Samal on Saturday, December 17, 2016. The whale was alive Friday night, but died Saturday
A 37-foot sperm whale washed up in front of a resort along Babak district in the Island Garden City of Samal.

The giant marine mammal was found beached on Friday night, December 16 before dying Saturday.

Cetacean expert Darrell Blatchley, who responded to the beaching, said the whale's carcass will be transported across the Davao Gulf to the Bone Museum in Davao City.

Curious residents and beachgoers gathered around the whale, which was already bleeding by Saturday.

A backhoe was used to slowly drag the whale toward the shore. One netizen shared on Facebook the hauling of the whale.

The whale will be deboned onsite, with the meat of the carcass to be thrown at the Samal Sanitary Landfill.

As of press time, the cause of death is unknown.

But Blatchley suspects the whale either choked on plastic trash or got injured by propellers of vessels regularly plying the Davao Gulf.

The Davao Gulf shores have repeatedly seen various beached marine mammals. Last week, Blatchley also responded to a beaching of a smaller cetacean.