Dugong dies from shock, eating plastic

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Dugong dies from shock, eating plastic

Bangkok - She became a hit in Thailand after images of biologists embracing and feeding her with milk and seagrass spread across social media.

By AP

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Published: Sat 17 Aug 2019, 11:07 PM

Last updated: Sun 18 Aug 2019, 1:11 AM

An eight-month-old dugong nurtured by marine experts after it was found lost near a beach in southern Thailand has died of what biologists believe was a combination of shock and ingesting plastic waste, officials said on Saturday.
The female dugong was named Marium and became a hit in Thailand after images of biologists embracing and feeding her with milk and seagrass spread across social media.
Last week, she was found bruised after being chased and supposedly attacked by a male dugong during the mating season, a top marine life official said.
An autopsy showed a big amount of plastic waste in her intestine, which could also have played a part in her death as it led to gastritis and blood infection, he said. "She must have thought these plastics were edible," he said.


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