Another dugong, & dolphin found dead, Queensland, Australia

David Sparkes |

23rd June 2011

ANOTHER dugong has met a grisly end in Gladstone Harbour.

The animal died in the Calliope River and was found near the NRG power station, where warm water is piped out and marine life is known to enjoy these conditions.

                      A dead male Dugong, washed up at Seven Mile Creek, at Rodd’s Bay in Turkey Beach has sparked national concern.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management confirmed reports about the dead mammal that began filtering through to The Observer yesterday morning.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services operations manager Dave Orgill said the service received a report via its hotline that a local person had found the dead dugong overnight on the river.

“QPWS immediately retrieved the carcass,” he said.

“Staff did a necropsy (animal autopsy) with assistance from a local vet.

“Initial indications are that the animal was healthy and died through massive trauma to its mid section. While results are yet to be validated, the trauma is consistent with boat strike.”

Former Environment Minister Kate Jones announced a scientific panel to investigate the recent deaths of animals in the Gladstone Harbour two weeks ago.

“This death will be investigated by the scientific panel that has been established to investigate the recent deaths of a number of dugongs, dolphins and turtles in waters off Gladstone,” Mr Orgill said.

It has been a bloody year for dugongs in the Gladstone region.

This is the third dead dugong found in less than a month and three dead dolphins were also found in May.

Anyone who finds dead or injured marine wildlife should call the QPWS hotline on 1300130 372.

gladstoneobserver.com.au

Fair Use: Educational

Mystery surrounds Dugong Deaths, Australia
To Mass Animal Death on Thursday, June 16, 2011

Another dead dolphin found, Gladstone Harbour

4th June 2011

                                        Dr Scott McCauley encountered the dead dolphin.

ANOTHER dead dolphin has been found under mysterious circumstances in Gladstone Harbour.

Dr Scott McAuley was fishing on the harbour on Thursday morning when he spotted the carcass floating between Curtis Island and Facing Island.

“I was just wondering what it was,” Dr McAuley told The Observer. “It was just a big white thing floating on the water. So I took my boat closer to have a look and it turned out to be a dolphin. It’s not good to see them dead. It’s certainly an unexpected thing.”

A representative from the Department of Environment & Resource Management said Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) rangers had recovered the dead dolphin east of Turtle Island yesterday morning. The representative said the carcass was brought to Gladstone and a necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.

In an extraordinary and bizarre twist to the story, Dr McAuley, who is a veterinary surgeon, also ended up performing the post-mortem on the dead dolphin.

When Dr McAuley spotted the floating body, he took a photo, had his wife call QPWS and thought that would be the end of his involvement.

But after QPWS recovered the body, it was brought to Dr McAuley’s surgery, where he performed the post-mortem yesterday. Under DERM protocol, Dr McAuley was unable to discuss details of the necropsy with the media.

Last month, two dead dolphins were found in on Gladstone Harbour. One was too decayed for a necropsy. The other could not be recovered. Dr McAuley said he had been fishing in Gladstone Harbour for eight years, but had never seen a dead dolphin before.

gladstoneobserver.com.au

Fair Use: Educational

  The Dugong sometimes refered to as a “Seacow”