Baby Mariam, The Beloved Dugong, Has Died Due To Plastic In Stomach & Guess Whose Fault It Is
A young baby dugong Mariam whose recovery won hearts online succumbed to her infections due to bits of plastic in her stomach on Saturday in Thailand. The sick baby died after going into shock and efforts to resuscitate her failed Mariam washed up in the shallow waters off Southwestern Thailand months ago and was in a nursing tank. Photos of her nuzzling playfully next to rescuers also went viral.
A young baby dugong Mariam, whose recovery won hearts online, succumbed to her infections due to bits of plastic in her stomach, on Saturday in Thailand . The sick baby died after going into shock and efforts to resuscitate her failed.
Mariam washed up in the shallow waters off Southwestern Thailand, months ago and was in a nursing tank. She was taken care by a team of veterinarians and marine experts, according to AFP. Photos of her nuzzling playfully next to rescuers also went viral.
AFP
Mariam¡¯s treatment and recoveries were shared by The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Thailand, which soon went viral and made her everyone¡¯s beloved.
Mariam¡¯s veterinarian, Nantarika Chansue, shared her autopsy on his Facebook revealing inflammation and gas build-up in Mariam¡¯s stomach. Her death was also announced on the Facebook page of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, Dugongs are marine mammals related to the manatee that graze on sea grass in warm, shallow waters from East Africa to Australia. The population is already threatened by habitat loss from water pollution and coastal development.
The post garnered 17k shares and 33k reactions. People on social media mourned the death of their ¡®beloved¡¯ Mariam and posted concerns over marine life and ocean conservation.
1.
a baby dugong #marium got lost in the sea & separated with her mom, her family classified "vulnerable to extinction" if that not sad enough, today we lost her & it was because of us, the most selfish creators in this planet. it is time now to be better, to try hearder? ? pic.twitter.com/QCi1xXY6oY
¡ª ?_(¥Ä)_/? (@meisafool) August 17, 2019
2.
Saying ¡°goodbye¡± is not easy
¡ª ???? - English AfterNoonz (@Eng_afternoonz) August 17, 2019
(?????????????????????)
- Words can¡¯t express how saddened we are (to hear about the loss)
- You will remain in our hearts forever
- You¡¯ll be missed
- You¡¯ll always be in our hearts??
- You were a beautiful much-loved young dugong/sea cow#???????
3.
Why return a human-nurtured baby dugong to the ocean.
¡ª Thomas Christopher (@ThomasCP518) August 17, 2019
4.
Goodbye, our cutie. See you again. #??????? pic.twitter.com/55HSHFYGrj
¡ª Always in the house. (@AllenR53142532) August 16, 2019
5.
ban plastics now
¡ª ????? ??? ? (@Stephen_T_Sun) August 17, 2019
6.
Thailand's Beloved Baby Dugong Dies of Shock, Ingesting Plastic Waste?
¡ª Nuiizy (@Nuiizyy) August 17, 2019
Such a very sad news today?#BabyDugong#Marium#RIP???????
"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, Chaiyapruk Werawong, head of Trang province marine park, told AFP.
Do we need anymore proof of the fact that plastic is literally choking the life out of creatures? And guess who is responsible for all of this?
