Stranded dugong calf dies from septic shock and severe dehydration

A necropsy on a stranded male dugong calf, which died recently despite round-the-clock medical care, has revealed that it succumbed to septic shock and severe dehydration, leading to acute circulatory failure, marine authorities have reported.

The Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre, part of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), released the findings yesterday following the calf's passing.

The young marine mammal had been found stranded alive on Bang Ben Beach in Ranong province on July 5 by Laem Son National Park officials, who initially rescued and transferred the animal for intensive care.

According to the necropsy report, veterinarians discovered pale myocardium and blood clots inside the heart chambers. The calf’s respiratory system showed congestion in the lungs and pulmonary emphysema, while the abdominal cavity was lined with fibrin, suggesting prolonged and severe internal inflammation. Its stomach was packed with partially digested seagrass alongside an inflamed intestinal tract.

Before its death, a physical examination identified the animal as a young male dugong measuring 112 centimeters in length and weighing 25 kilograms. It bore minor lacerations on its head and body, leading officials to believe it had become separated from its mother before being washed ashore by strong currents.

The calf had been rushed to the Sireetarn Marine Endangered Species Rescue Centre in Phuket for emergency rehabilitation, where teams provided 24-hour monitoring. Medical logs indicated the calf was underweight with a body condition score of 2.5 out of 5, suffered from bruises likely sustained during stranding and exhibited low blood sugar alongside moderate-to-severe dehydration.

Its digestive system also showed signs of severe bloating with significant gas accumulation, though it was temporarily able to pass stool consisting of digested seagrass.

Despite veterinarians administering intravenous fluids, nutritional milk substitutes and targeted medication to address the critical symptoms, the calf’s condition rapidly deteriorated.

Authorities have collected blood and tissue samples for further laboratory analysis.