TRANG, June 18 (TNA) – The fate of Marium, an orphaned baby dugong, has attracted many people to a nursery in Trang province.
The female dugong was rescued off the coast of Thailand’s Krabi in April and has been under care at the nursery inside the Koh Libong Wildlife Preserve. It was first thought that the dugong was one year of age but veterinarian later adjusted to 5-6 months.
Marium has showed great signs of growth under care of veterinarians and volunteers at the nursery. Head of the veterinarian team Nantrika Sansue said the team decided to increase milk feeding time for Marium to every 40 minutes.
Marium’s body width increased from 70 to 72 centimeters, weighing 29.5 kilograms, she said. The veterinarian team has said Marium will be under care at least six more months to allow physical development and learn survival skills before releasing her to the open sea off the coast of Trang, home to the largest group of over 180 dugongs.
Visitors have observed the female dugong being fed with milk and seagrass as well as exercising with humans. (TNA)
