This file picture shows Mariam being cared for by park officials and veterinarians from the Phuket Marine Biological Centre on Libong island, Trang province.
BANGKOK: A sick baby dugong whose fight for recovery won hearts in Thailand and cast a spotlight on ocean conservation has died from an infection exacerbated by bits of plastic lining her stomach, officials said yesterday.
Mariam washed up in shallow waters off southwestern Thailand months ago and photos of her nuzzling playfully next to rescuers quickly went viral.
The discovery soon after of another orphaned dugong brought the sea cows celebrity status, the attention of a Thai princess – who named the second one “Jamil” – and round-the-clock webcasts giving viewers a front-row seat to feedings and treatment.
This handout shows vets performing an autopsy on Mariam the dugong at the Trang province marine park.
Mariam had been under the care of Thai authorities who fed her milk and sea grass, before releasing her back into the ocean a few times, but she came back each time, carrying wounds from her encounters in the sea.
Last week, Mariam was found ill and refused to eat, losing a lot of weight, said Nantarika Chansue, one of the vets who took care of the dugong.
She died just after midnight after going into shock and efforts to resuscitate her failed, Chaiyapruk Werawong, head of Trang province marine park, told AFP. “She died from a blood infection and pus in her stomach,” he said, adding they found small amounts of plastic waste in her intestinal tract.
Footage released by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) showed vets attempting to revive Mariam using CPR.
Several pieces of plastic were found in her intestine, with one measuring up to 20 centimetres.
Pieces of plastic that were found in the intestinal tract of Mariam. — AFP photos
The plastic had caused obstructions in the animal’s stomach, leading to inflammation and gas build-up, Nantarika Chansue posted on Facebook.
“We could partially treat the respiratory infection but the obstruction of plastic rubbish… could not be cured,” she said in the post, calling for the young animal’s death to serve as a lesson.
“She taught us how to love and then went away as if saying please tell everyone to look after us and conserve her species.”
The dugongs are the latest marine creatures to make headlines in Thailand, whose plastic-choked waters are also a threat to habitats.
Both the animals were found in southern Thailand, home to about 250 of the sea cows, which are closely related to the manatee and classified as vulnerable. Jamil is being cared for separately in Phuket.
Mariam’s death was also announced on the Facebook page of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.
The post quickly garnered more than 11,000 shares and thousands of comments mourning the loss, while a meme with a picture of Mariam and “RIP” circulated online.
“It’s a pity for those who fed her milk and collected sea grass for their little daughter that we have to lose Mariam because of plastic waste,” one commenter said. — AFP