BANGKOK, Aug 17 (TNA) – An eight-month-old sick dugong died from an infection while a team of veterinarians found pieces of plastic in her intestine.
The baby dugong’s death was announced on the Facebook page of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.
She died from a blood infection after midnight after going into shock.
An autopsy showed pieces of plastic had caused obstructions in her intestine tract, leading to inflammation and gas build-up and there was pus in her lung.
The vets were able to partially treat the respiratory infection but obstruction of plastic waste could not be cured.
The orphaned dugong was rescued in April after she washed up in shallow waters in Krabi. She was taken under the care of veterinarians in the sea off Libong Island and was trained her survival skills in the natural habitat.
Last week, Marium was attacked by an adult dugong. Veterinarians said she suffered lung infection, dehydration and other symptoms before moving her to a nursery tank for treatment because a large dugong was spotted near the nursery area in the seas as well as strong winds and sea currents.
The young dugong, whose name means “lady of the sea,” is the first dugong to have been nurtured by humans in Thailand. Her story has impressed Thai netizens as she is dubbed “Thailand’s sweetheart” by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. (TNA)
