19 Turtles And A Pilot Whale With 4KG Of Plastic In Its Stomach Found Dead In Sabah
This is proof that the plastics bags we throw irresponsibly are starving and killing our rare marine life.
By Mei Mei Chu — 01 Apr 2015, 05:27 PM
4.25kg of plastic material was found in the stomach of a three-metre pilot whale that was beached in Kota Kinabalu
An empty detergent packet is among the plastic items found in the pilot whale's stomach. The Sabah Wildlife Department believes that the plastic item ingested by the pilot whale led to its death.
Image via Sabah Wildlife DepartmentUniversiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) provided their heart-wrenching reason as to what killed the whale that was found stranded at Likas Bay – 4.25 kilograms of plastic materials were found inside its stomach.
theborneopost.com
The Sabah Wildlife Department was shocked to pulled out 44 pieces of plastic materials from inside the whale, including 21 small plastic bags, 11 plastic sheets, a detergent container and a six-metre long caution tape
“The team found 21 small plastic bags, 11 plastic sheets, a detergent container and a six-metres long caution tape in the juvenile male pilot whale,” said Sabah Wildlife Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan.
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The materials were found during a post-mortem on the mammal, initially identified as a Risso Dolphin by the Sabah Wildlife Department’s Rescue Unit.
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The whale was still young between two to three years old. Villages found it beached on Teluk Dayang on 19 March 2015.
“Similar reports on squids-eating-whales and dolphins have been found with plastic bags in their stomachs,” he said after a press conference on the matter today.
The pilot whale, estimated to be between two and three years old, was found by a villager on March 19, 2015 and was referred to the UMS’ Borneo Marine Research Institute the next day.
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It was the plastic that led to its beaching, which also damaged its stomach and prevented it from digesting food. The young thing must have mistaken these plastic items as squid and ate them.
Plastic bags floating in the water look similar to jellyfishes and squids.
Image via dailymail.co.ukThe unit believes the amount of plastic found in its stomach led to the beaching. He said the gastric mucosa was severely impaired from the impact of the domestic rubbish, preventing it from digesting food, leading to severe malnutrition and eventually compromised the respiration of the whale, which caused its death.
therakyatpost.com
UMS’ Borneo Marine Research Institute tried all they could to save the whale - pain killers, antibiotics, gastric protectants, force feeding- but the whale finally vomited and died after one week.
The mammal was found to be emaciated and weak with multiple superficial wounds from stranding.
Antibiotics, pain killers, anti-parasitic drugs, appetite stimulants, gastric protectants, multivitamins, and fluid therapy as well as force feeding was done over a period of one week with mild improvement of the condition of the whale.
Sen said the whale, however, suddenly showed signs of deterioration, vomited and died on March 25 at 11.20am, despite stabilising and resuscitation efforts.
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The whale probably died from chronic starvation as no food could past through its stomach
She added that further checks indicated that the dolphin probably died from chronic starvation since its stomach did not contain any food since no food could past through.
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“It is very sad indeed. We don’t know how many die in the ocean without being found, but it is a global problem. Not only in Sabah,” said Sabah Wildlife Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan
Due to the sad find, she and her colleagues felt that it was high time something was done to highlight the impact of plastics on the environment and that people needed to seriously consider utilising recycled materials. One of the plastics swallowed was from China.
theborneopost.com
The whale's carcass has been returned to the sea, but the same cannot be said for 19 green turtles that were found dead on Pulau Tiga on 10 March 2015
Sabah Wildlife Department (JHLS) rangers from Sabah Parks (SP) have discovered 19 green turtles carcasses in Tiga Island, which is located at the north of Balambangan – Bangi, north of Kudat, on last Thursday.
sayangsabah.com
He said the green turtle carcasses were found at the planned site for Tun Mustapha Marine Park which covers an area of a million hectares with the most diverse flora and fauna species in the world, and a source of living for 80,000 coastal villagers who depend on the sea.
sayangsabah.comWest Coast JHLS Wildlife Officer, Rolan Niun believes the turtle carcasses were left after attempts to smuggle the turtles across borders failed
State Wildlife Department with rangers from Sabah Parks, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Marine police found 19 dead turtles on Pulau Tiga, within the proposed Tun Mustapha Marine Park in Kudat.
Image via nst.com.myAccording to the West Coast JHLS Wildlife Officer, Rolan Niun, they are suspecting the turtle carcasses are the remains left by failed smuggling activities to other countries, which were foiled by the efficiency of maritime and marine police patrols.
sayangsabah.comJHLS Director, William Baya, said ‘The area is also under the jurisdiction of East Coast Security Zone (ESSZONE). Our department is hoping for a cooperation with Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Marine Police, and other related agencies to control and arrest individuals responsible for such actions,” he said in his statement.
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In Malaysia, green turtle is a protected species that can land poachers in jail for up to five years
Under the Wildlife Preservation Enactment 1997 Section 1 Schedule 1, green turtle is a protected species and individuals who are found guilty to hunt the species can be jailed up to 5 years or fined RM50,000 or both.
sayangsabah.com