Beached dugong dies in Sarangani

DAVAO CITY – The local government of Kiamba, Sarangani reported that attempts to return a juvenile dugong (sea cow) failed, with the marine mammal dying of disease. The dugong had been found weak in shallow water at Brgy. Kayupo last Wednesday. “Locals tried to coax the animal into deeper water and fed it sea grass in an attempt to revive it back to health but the animal died not long after it was seen,” the report from the information office said. The dugong measured 9 feet in length with a girth of 61 inches and an approximated weight of 500 pounds, which representatives from DENR, MPDC and the Municipal Information Office documented. The remains of the animal will be buried in Barangay Kapate until such time when the skeleton can be gathered for educational purposes. (Yas D. Ocampo)