Dead Dugong Stranded On Sanur Beach

DENPASAR - A dugong was found stranded and dead on Sanur Beach, Denpasar, Bali. The body was immediately buried in the Sanur Beach area.

Head of the Denpasar Coastal and Marine Resources Management Center (BPSPL), Permana Yudiarso, said the dugong was found dead on Tuesday, February 15.

"Reported the discovery of dugongs at Watu Jimbar Beach, Sanur Village, at 10:00 WITA. The dugongs were found by Mr. Made Kelet and then together with his colleagues reported to BPSPL Denpasar", said Yudiarso, Friday, February 18.

From the results of identification and morphometric measurements, mammals with a total length of 253 cm and a body circumference of 174 cm died of decay.

"For the dugong, we did not (perform) a necropsy yesterday. We have not been able to determine what caused it", he added.

However, for a while, the dugong died of illness due to eating seagrass in the sea mixed with chemicals in the Sanur Beach area.

"The initial suspicion was that it was due to an illness, possibly food. Dugong food was seagrass, we were worried that it could be contaminated with other substances such as poison that caused get sick, that possibility. However, we don't know what the disease is because we didn't do a necropsy", he explained.