Dugong deaths in Johor remain a mystery

New Straits Times 30 Mar 09;

JOHOR BARU: The cause of death of two dugong found in the waters off Tanjung Langsat and Gelang Patah last week will likely remain a mystery because only the carcasses were found.
Malaysian Nature Society Johor Branch chairman Associate Prof Dr Maketab Mohamed said: "We know little about these gentle creatures, and research is difficult because of the absence of live specimens."

He said the common causes of death are injuries from boat engines and getting caught in fishing nets, besides pollution and disease.

"There is a need to create a dugong sanctuary so more are not killed by human activity."

On Friday a 300kg male was found floating in the waters off Tanjung Langsat, near Pasir Gudang.
The fisherman who found it said there were wounds on its belly.

The discovery came three days after another 300kg dugong was found near the Sungai Pok Besar jetty in Gelang Patah.

Between the much publicised discovery of a baby dugong named Si Tenang in 1999 and 2004, no fewer than 12 dugong carcasses have been found in Johor waters.

The dugong is a protected species and is considered a part of Johor's heritage.

Maketab said dugong often graze on sea grass in the Sungai Pulai estuary on the southeast coast, Sungai Johor in Kota Tinggi and along the state's eastern coastline until Pulau Sibu.

A source at the state Fisheries Department doubted the latest deaths were caused by fishermen.

"It is common for dugong to sustain small cuts and wounds from debris and rocks in the water.

"The marine unit would have to take samples from the carcasses and study them to determine how they died," said the source, adding a dead dugong was found near Gelang Patah on Feb 14 but it was not reported.