The WWF has called for a crackdown on poachers after a 6-metre whale shark that had been finned was found still alive near the town of Tingloy, in Batangas, in the Philippines.
Photos: Linda Reyes-Romualdez/ WWF
The charity condemned the act and said efforts to stop the killings should be stepped up.
The shark's dorsal and pectoral fins had been sliced off and there were marks made by knives around its tail. It was found floating belly up by divers from the Acacia Resort in Mabini.
The shark was towed to a sheltered bay where volunteers put a net underneath it to try to stop it injuring itself further. The shark died several hours later.
Killing whale sharks is illegal in the Philippines with a maximum sentence of four years in prison, as well as a fine and the cancellation of fishing permits. The WWF is calling for the authorities to step up their efforts in enforcing the law.
Joel Palma, conservation programmes vice-president for WWF in the Philippines, said: 'This is a real eye-opener, for it proves that the slaughter of endangered species - even one as big as a whale shark - can still take place if we let our guards down. More poachers are out there and they will not be at rest just because we are.'
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said an investigation into the shark's death would be conducted and those responsible would be prosecuted. WWF Philippines and the BFAR have offered a reward of P100,000 (£1,400) for anyone who comes forward with information leading to an arrest.
