An orphaned dugong calf named Marium won over the hearts of Thai citizens after an image of her cuddling her carer went viral.
She was rescued after becoming beached near the Krabi province.
Without a mother, she imprinted on the humans who saved her and who are caring for her. Marium, meaning ‘lady of the sea’ in Thai, has since been moved to waters in the Ko Libong island of Trang province.
Pathompong Kongjit, a vet looking after Marium, told AFP that ‘Mariam has ignited the interest among Thai people to care about marine animals, Thai seas and nature in general.’
The vets hold Marium when feeding her milk, as mothers do when they breastfeed their young. After feeding time and in order to get her digestive system moving, her carers get her to swim by canoeing on the water as she trails behind them.
Kongjit also told AFP that the little dugong is struggling to feed herself and will only eat seagrass picked from the seafloor.
Dugongs are marine mammals which are related to manatees, and can weigh 420kg when fully grown.
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) have announced that they will be setting up a live-stream of Marium.
VIDEO: Thailand goes gaga for baby dugong Mariam pic.twitter.com/hyQhvgJXwU
— AFP news agency (@AFP) July 3, 2019
Image source: Twitter @lucygwen_gillis
