Rescued baby dugong “Marium” misses mom, says veterinarian

 

(Photo) Natarika Chansue Facebook page

“Marium”, a six-month-old baby dugong, a species of the same order as the manatee, was accidentally separated from and now misses her mom. She clings to an orange canoe with her arms and tags along as if it were her mother, according to Nantarika Chansue, a veterinarian of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University.

 

“I have been a vet for 30 years and have seen too much of the cycle of life and death, but the story of the orphan Marium really struck me,” Nantarika wrote on Facebook.

 

“She (the dugong) was about five months old and had just started teething when we spotted her. She was barely able to chew the seagrass and basically had to rely on formula. We fed her every two hours with two-liters of imported infant goat milk powder, mixed with some vitamins and vital nutrients.” Nantarika added.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/rescued-baby-dugong-marium-misses-mom-says-veterinarian/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-06-09

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

 

BANGKOK, 12 June 2019 (NNT) - After seeing the adorable baby dugong "Mariam," who has become an internet sensation, marine surveys in the Andaman Sea have discovered a 200 strong dugong population, mostly at Ko Libong Animal Sanctuary, with no fewer than 180 dugongs living in the dugong nursery area where Mariam is currently being taken care of.

 

Ko Libong Animal Sanctuary Chief, Chaiyapruek Weerawong said today the population of dugongs offshore in Trang province can mostly be found at Ko Libong Animal Sanctuary, specifically at Laem Ju Hoei and Ao Thung Chin, with about 180 dugongs taking to living around the santuary. Dugong communities are also found at seagrass sources in Hat Chao Mai National Park.

 

The latest marine observation by air this year confirmed there are no fewer than 200 dugongs living in the Andaman Sea from Satun up to Krabi. Many mother and baby dugongs have been spotted, and the birth rate of the dugongs has increased every year. Dugongs are still in need of protection and conservation to raise their population, and spare them being faced with extinction.

 

Dugong is a protected species according to the Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act BE 2562. They are also protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibiting all kinds of trade except for research and reproduction.

Source

Edited June 13, 20197 yr by gomangosteen

 

 

 

 

 

Give me a hug! Heartwarming moment a baby dugong which got lost in the ocean after separating from its mother is embraced by marine experts who rescued it